Chapter 10 - Debate
Closure
of debate
A motion may be
moved in the course of a debate, but not so as to
interrupt a senator speaking, that the question be now put. That motion must be
put and determined without debate or amendment, and if it is carried the
question before the Senate is then put and determined immediately without
further debate or amendment (SO 199). This
procedure provides an opportunity for the Senate to decide that debate should
conclude and the question before the Senate be determined. It is known
colloquially as the “gag”.
The closure motion cannot be moved by a senator other than a minister
who has spoken in the debate or who has previously moved the closure (SO 199(3)). In practice
a senator is allowed to make a few explanatory remarks before moving the
closure.
The motion may be directed only to the question before the chair, so
that, if the question is for an amendment to be agreed to, it is only that
question which is put without further debate, and debate on the main question
may continue.
The closure may be moved in committee of the whole, but may not be
repeated within 15 minutes after it has been moved (SO 144(6)).
A senator who has moved the closure, if that motion is negatived, may speak
later in the debate; this practice is based on an analogy with the rule
applying to the adjournment of debate.
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