Chapter 8 - Conduct
of proceedings
Consideration
of committee reports and Auditor-General’s reports
There is a period of one hour on
Wednesday and Thursday for debate on committee reports then presented, with a
speaking time limit of 10 minutes for each senator speaking to a report (SO 62(4)). This
procedure applies to any document presented by a committee at that time.
Another period of one hour on Thursday is provided for consideration of
committee reports and government responses to such reports,
and each senator may speak to any adjourned debates on motions for the
consideration or adoption of committee reports and government responses for not
more than 10 minutes (SO 62). A senator who
has already spoken in a debate may speak again under the standing order, and
the exercise of the right to speak under the standing order does not prevent a
senator speaking for a third time if a motion for the consideration or adoption
of a committee report or a government response is called on during the
consideration of general business. Because this third opportunity, “in the
normal course of business”, does not in practice arise, senators are allowed to
speak for a third time if an adjourned debate is called on again on Thursday.
Auditor-General’s reports are also considered at this time, after
committee reports.
Any outstanding
notices of motion for the consideration or adoption of committee reports, which
are relatively rare, are first considered at that time on Thursday because of
the special precedence they are given (SO 60).
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