9.30 am
Prayers and acknowledgement of country
The bells ring for 5 minutes prior to the Senate meeting. Senators stand as the President is announced by the Black rod.
The President bows to each side of the chamber; senators return the bow.
The President reads a prayer and makes an acknowledgement of country: standing order 50
Clerk's documents
Tabling of documents required to be presented by Acts of Parliament (legislative instruments: eg regulations, determinations, rules, orders)
See also Guide to Senate Procedure Nos 10 - Tabling of documents and 11 - Opportunities for debating documents and reports
Committees - proposals to meet
Under standing order 33, a committee requires leave of the Senate to meet during sitting. Proposals to meet are listed on the Red and unless objected to are deemed to be approved.
Government business only
Debate on motions moved by ministers - principally government bills.
See also Guide to Senate Procedure No. 16 - Consideration of legislation
11.45 am
Petitions
Presentation of petitions is announced by the Clerk
See also Guide to Senate Procedure No. 7 - Petitions
Notices of motion given
All decisions of the Senate begin as motions moved by senators. The first step is usually for a senator to give notice of his or her intention to move a motion.
Placing of business
Consideration of a notice of motion may be postponed and business items may be rearranged. Routine committee matters and leave of absence for senators are also dealt with here.
Formal business
Motions are voted on without debate
See also Guide to Senate Procedure Nos 4 - Categories of business and 8 - Notices of motion
Committee memberships
Letters to the President proposing changes to committee membership are reported and the relevant motion is moved by a minister.
See also Guide to Senate Procedure No. 14 - Committee membership
Messages
Principally from the House of Representatives relating to bills or joint committee matters.
See also Guide to Senate Procedure No. 18 - Communication between the Houses - dealing with messages
Business of the Senate (if any)
Government business
Presentation of reports and debate on motions. Business is considered in the following order:
- Matters of Privilege (if any) - proposals to refer matters to the Privileges Committee. An item will only fall into this category if the President has determined that the matter should have special priority under standing order 81
- Business of the Senate (if any) - includes disallowance motions, motions to refer matters to standing committees, presentation of committee reports (reports presented at this point are generally not available for debate)
- Government business - business initiated by a minister (principally government bills)
See also Guide to Senate Procedure No. 4 - Categories of business
12.45 pm
'Non-controversial' legislation
Consideration of non-controversial government bills
Time limits
2 pm
Questions
Time limit - approximately an hour
Motions to take note of answers
Opportunity to debate answers given during question time. Time limit - 30 minutes; 5 minute speeches
See also Guide to Senate Procedure No. 16 - Questions
Reports and documents
On Thursdays an hour is set aside in the afternoon for the tabling and consideration of committee reports followed by further debate on reports, government responses, documents and Auditor-General's reports tabled on previous sitting days and reserved on the Notice Paper. Senators may speak for 5 minutes on any document or report reserved on the Notice Paper.
The Chair will typically call on documents "page-by-page" by reference to their numbers on the Notice Paper. Senators should seek the call and indicate to the chair which document they wish to speak to.
Generally there will already be motions to take note listed in the Notice Paper. (Technically these are "orders of the day" for the resumption of debate on motions previously moved.) Senators can speak to that motion. Occasionally reports and documents will be listed on the Notice Paper for consideration, and no motion will be listed. In that case, a senator wishing to speak to a document should seek the call and move a motion to take note to commence the debate. In practice, senators seek the call and speak, and the Chair will make sure the procedural intricacies are dealt with.
Debate on one document must be completed, or adjourned to another day, before the Senate moves to the next document.
Time limits
10 minutes per contribution on presentation of a committee report, 5 minutes per contribution on a document or report reserved on the Notice Paper; 60 minutes total.
Key phrases for debating documents, etc:
- I move to take note of the document/report: commences debate
- I also wish to take note of the document/report: continues debate on the same document
- [at the end of a contribution] If no other senator wishes to speak, then I seek leave to continue my remarks: adjourns the debate until the next sitting Thursday
- [if not speaking] I move that the debate be adjourned: adjourns the debate until the next sitting Thursday
- [from the Chair] The time for this debate has expired. Senator, you will be in continuation when the debate resumes [ie the following Thursday]
Senators will often be prompted by the Chair - "Would you like to seek leave to continue your remarks?" in order to keep the documenton the Notice Paper for other senators to speak on a later date. The customary response is "Yes, Chair, I seek, leave to continue my remarks".
See also Guide to Senate Procedure No. 11 - Opportunities for debating documents and reports
Ministerial statements
A ministerial statement is used to inform the Senate of policy or other issues relating to the minister's portfolio. Statements may be given, or simply tabled.
See also Guide to Senate Procedure Nos 10 - Tabling of documents and 11 - Opportunitues for debating documents and reports
General business debate
Debate on motions or bills from private senators. The item or items for debate are set on the motion of the Manager of Government Business, following a schedule informally determined between non-government parties and independent senators.
Time limits
5.30 pm
Adjournment proposed
The motion "That the Senate do now adjourn" is moved and may be debated. Senators may address any topic they choose. Time limit - 30 minutes