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Chapter 8 - Conduct of proceedings

Routine of business

The routine in which the Senate deals with its business is set out in standing order 57. This routine varies according to whether the Senate sits before or after 2 pm, because question time on most days commences at 2 pm, and other items which are taken after question time then follow, such as debates on urgency motions and matters of public importance. The routine of business is as follows:

Monday:

  1. Government business only

  2. At 2 pm, questions

  3. Motions to take note of answers

  4. Petitions

  5. Notices of motion

  6. Postponement and rearrangement of business

  7. Formal motions - discovery of formal business

  8. Any proposal to debate a matter of public importance or urgency

  9. Government business

  10. At 9.50 pm, adjournment proposed

  11. At 10.30 pm, adjournment.

Tuesday:

  1. Government business only

  2. Questions

  3. Motions to take note of answers

  4. Petitions

  5. Notices of motion

  6. Postponement and rearrangement of business

  7. Formal motions - discovery of formal business

  8. Any proposal to debate a matter of public importance or urgency

  9. Government business

  10. At 6.50 pm, consideration of government documents for up to 30 minutes under standing order 61

  11. At 7.20 pm, adjournment proposed

  12. Adjournment.

Wednesday:

  1. Government business only

  2. At 12.45 pm, matters of public interest

  3. At 2 pm, questions

  4. Motions to take note of answers

  5. Petitions

  6. Notices of motion

  7. Postponement and rearrangement of business

  8. Formal motions - discovery of formal business

  9. Any proposal to debate a matter of public importance or urgency

  10. Consideration of committee reports under standing order 62(4)

  11. Government business

  12. At 6.50 pm, consideration of government documents for up to 30 minutes under standing order 61

  13. At 7.20 pm, adjournment proposed

  14. At 8 pm, adjournment.

Thursday:

  1. Petitions

  2. Notices of motion

  3. Postponement and rearrangement of business

  4. Formal motions - discovery of formal business

  5. Consideration of committee reports under standing order 62(4)

  6. Government business

  7. At 2 pm, questions

  8. Motions to take note of answers

  9. Any proposal to debate a matter of public importance or urgency

  10. Not later than 4.30 pm, general business

  11. Not later than 6 pm, consideration of government documents under general business

  12. Not later than 7 pm, consideration of committee reports and government responses under standing order 62(1)

  13. At 8 pm, adjournment proposed

  14. At 8.40 pm, adjournment.

Notices of motion, formal motions and postponement and rearrangement of business occur before the Senate embarks on any business for the day except for the “quarantined” government business on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; these matters are explained below.

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