Time spent on the consideration of legislation


You are currently viewing the Senate statistical archive. This site contains data to 31 December 2011. For information after that date, please see Senate StatsNet.

These tables show the number of hours in which the Senate sat during a sitting period, and the percentage of that time spent on legislation.

A sitting period is defined as a period during which the Senate adjourns for not more than 20 days.

  • 43rd Parliament — 28 September 2010 to 28 June 2013
    Session Sitting dates Business time Adjournment time Total time Total time spent on legislation % of business time spent on legislation
    Spring 2010 28/9/10 - 30/9/10 20 hrs 49 mins 1 hr 51 mins 22 hrs 40 mins 03 mins 0.2%
    Spring(2) 2010 25/10/10 - 26/11/10 110 hrs 51 mins 8 hrs 32 mins 119 hrs 23 mins 40 hrs 03 mins 36.1%
    Autumn 2011 8/2/11 - 25/3/11 108 hrs 55 mins 6 hrs 55 mins 115 hrs 50 mins 44 hrs 42 mins1 41%1
    Budget 2011 10/5/11 - 12/5/11 24 hrs 20 mins 2 hrs 09 mins 26 hrs 29 mins 8 hrs 54 mins 36.6%
    Winter 2011 14/6/11 - 7/7/11 93 hrs 32 mins   5 hrs 48 mins 99 hrs 20 mins 34 hrs 03 mins 36.4%
    Spring 2011 16/8/11 - 25/11/11 289 hrs 54 mins 26 hrs 27 mins 316 hrs 21 mins 121 hrs 50 mins1 42.0%1
    See StatsNet for detailed information of bills considered for the remainder of the 43rd Parliament
    Autumn 2012 7/2/12 - 22/3/12  135 hrs 49 mins 15 hrs 37 min 151 hrs 26 mins 55 hrs 14 mins 40.7%
    Budget 2012 8/5/12 - 10/5/12 24 hrs 1 hr 18 mins 25 hrs 18 mins 4 hrs 45 mins 19.8%
    Winter 2012 18/6/12 - 28/6/12 92 hrs 03 mins 7 hrs 16 mins 99 hrs 19 mins 60 hrs 52 mins1 66.1%1
    Spring 2012 14/8/12 - 29/11/12 284 hrs 40 mins 30 hrs 29 mins 315 hrs 09 mins 126 hrs 31 mins1 44.4%1
    Autumn 2013 5/2/13 - 21/3/13 122 hrs 18 mins 14 hrs 51 mins 137 hrs 09 mins  46 hrs 48 mins2 38.3%2
    Budget 2013 14/5/13 - 16/5/13 25 hrs 7 mins  3 hrs 27 mins 28 hrs 34 mins 10 hrs 20 mins 41.1%
    Winter 2013 17/6/13 - 28/6/13 89 hrs 58 mins 9 hrs 98 hrs 58 mins 48 hrs 10 mins 53.5%

    Total

    		  1422 hrs 16 mins 133 hrs 40 mins 1555 hrs 56 mins 602 hrs 15 mins 42.3%

    Note: In general, these figures relate to time spent on the consideration of government legislation and do not include time spent on private members' or private senators' bills.  Where there is an exception to this, explanation is provided by way of footnote.

    1 This figure includes the time spent on the consideration of the:

    • Evidence Amendment (Journalists' Privilege) Bill 2010, a private member's bill.  The bill was considered as a government business order of the day by order of the Senate. [42 mins]
    • Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Fair Protection for Firefighters) Bill 2011, a private member's bill. The bill was introduced by a parliamentary secretary and considered as a government business order of the day. [46 mins]
    • Migration Legislation Amendment (The Bali Process) Bill 2012, a private member's bill.  The bill was introduced by a minister and considered as a government business order of the day. [7 hrs 27 mins]
    • Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012, a private senators' bill.  The bill was considered as a government business order of the day by order of the Senate. [10 hrs 49 mins]

    2 This figure does not include time spent on the Public Service Amendment Bill 2012, a government bill.  The bill was considered together with a private senator's bill (Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2012 [2013]) during the time alotted for the consideration of private senators' bills. [1 hr 15 mins]

     

  • 42nd Parliament — 12 February 2008 to 19 July 2010
    Session Sitting dates Business time Adjournment time Total time Total time spent on legislation % of business time spent on legislation
    Autumn 2008 12/2/08 - 14/2/08 21 hrs 02 mins 1 hr 52 mins 22 hrs 54 mins 14 mins 1.1%
    Autumn (2) 2008 11/3/08 - 20/3/08 56 hrs 53 mins 4 hrs 15 mins 61 hrs 08 mins 23 hrs 20 mins 41%
    Budget 2008 13/5/08 - 15/5/08 24 hrs 43 mins 1 hr 26 mins 26 hrs 09 mins 6 hrs 29 mins 26.2%
    Winter 2008 16/6/08 - 26/6/08 78 hrs 38 mins 1 hr 23 mins 80 hrs 01 min 34 hrs 05 mins 43.3%
    Spring 2008 26/8/08 - 16/10/08 159 hrs 49 mins 7 hrs 39 mins 167 hrs 28 mins 71 hrs 57 mins 45%
    Spring (2) 2008 10/11/08 - 4/12/08 116 hrs 30 mins 7 hrs 27 mins 123 hrs 57 mins 67 hrs 57 mins 58.3%
    Autumn 2009 3/2/09 - 12/2/09 52 hrs 23 mins 2 hrs 12 mins 54 hrs 35 mins 37 hrs 59 mins 72.5%
    Autumn (2) 2009 10/3/09 - 19/3/09 79 hrs 56 mins 3 hrs 43 mins 83 hrs 39 mins 50 hrs 15 mins 62.9%
    Budget 2009 12/5/09 - 14/5/09 24 hrs 46 mins 1 hr 16 mins 26 hrs 02 mins 7 hrs 55 mins 32%
    Winter 2009 15/6/09 - 25/6/09 67 hrs 40 mins 4 hrs 30 mins 72 hrs 10 mins 31 hrs 00 mins 45.8%
    Spring 2009 11/8/09 - 17/9/09 126 hrs 21 mins 9 hrs 53 mins 136 hrs 14 mins 60 hrs 49 mins 48.1%
    Spring (2) 2009 26/10/09 - 30/11/09 135 hrs 56 mins 7 hrs 59 mins 143 hrs 55 mins 69 hrs 29 mins 51.1%
    Autumn 2010 2/2/10 - 18/3/10 113 hrs 18 mins 12 hrs 02 mins 125 hrs 20 mins 42 hrs 17 mins 37.3%
    Budget 2010 11/5/10 - 13/5/10 24 hrs 59 mins 57 mins 25 hrs 56 mins 8 hrs 47 mins 35.2%
    Winter 2010 15/6/10 - 24/6/10 59 hrs 26 mins 6 hrs 01 min 65 hrs 27 mins 25 hrs 10 mins 42.3%
    Total 1142 hrs 20 mins 72 hrs 35 mins 1214 hrs 55 mins 537 hrs 43 mins 47.1%
  • 41st Parliament — 16 November 2004 to 17 October 2007
    Session Sitting dates Business time Adjournment time Total time Total time spent on legislation % of business time spent on legislation
    Spring 2004 16/11/04 - 9/12/04 86 hrs 47 mins 6 hrs 34 mins 93 hrs 21 mins 39 hrs 42 mins 45.7%
    Summer 2005 8/2/05 - 10/2/05 24 hrs 25 mins 2 hrs 45 mins 27 hrs 10 mins 8 hrs 36 mins 35.2%
    Autumn 2005 7/3/05 - 17/3/05 66 hrs 12 mins 8 hrs 28 mins 74 hrs 40 mins 34 hrs 10 mins 51.6%
    Budget 2005 10/5/05 - 12/5/05 24 hrs 15 mins 1 hr 51 mins 26 hrs 06 mins 4 hrs 09 mins 17.1%
    Winter 2005 14/6/05 - 23/6/05 72 hrs 54 mins 3 hrs 53 mins 76 hrs 47 mins 36 hrs 37 mins 50.2%
    Spring 2005 9/8/05 - 13/10/05 179 hrs 41 mins 12 hrs 14 mins 191 hrs 55 mins 49 hrs 51 mins 27.7%
    Spring (2) 2005 3/11/05 - 9/12/05 139 hrs 40 mins 6 hrs 22 mins 146 hrs 02 mins 82 hrs 09 mins 58.8%
    Summer 2006 7/2/06 - 2/3/06 61 hrs 11 mins 4 hrs 46 mins 65 hrs 57 mins 19 hrs 49 mins* 32.4%
    Autumn 2006 27/3/06 - 30/3/06 42 hrs 17 mins 2 hrs 40 mins 44 hrs 57 mins 26 hrs 32 mins 62.8%
    Budget 2006 9/5/06 - 11/5/06 24 hrs 24 mins 1 hr 24 mins 25 hrs 48 mins 10 hrs 35 mins 43.4%
    Winter 2006 13/6/06 - 22/6/06 80 hrs 57 mins 6 hrs 01 min 86 hrs 58 mins 44 hrs 16 mins 54.7%
    Spring 2006 8/8/06 - 14/9/06 125 hrs 19 mins 12 hrs 06 mins 137 hrs 25 mins 42 hrs 55 mins 34.2%
    Spring (2) 2006 9/10/06 - 7/12/06 196 hrs 41 mins 13 hrs 46 mins 210 hrs 27 mins 91 hrs 35 mins+ 46.6%
    Autumn 2007 6/2/07 - 29/3/07 130 hrs 11 mins 11 hrs 37 mins 141 hrs 48 mins 60 hrs 01 min 46.1%
    Budget 2007 8/5/07 - 10/5/07 23 hrs 19 mins 1 hr 17 mins 24 hrs 36 mins 6 hrs 55 mins 29.7%
    Winter 2007 12/6/07 - 21/6/07 74 hrs 47 mins 7 hrs 04 mins 81 hrs 51 mins 48 hrs 39 mins 65.1%
    Spring 2007 7/8/07 - 16/8/07 71 hrs 51 mins 3 hrs 52 mins 75 hrs 43 mins 39 hrs 24 mins 54.8%
    Spring (2) 2007 10/9/07 - 20/9/07 72 hrs 51 mins 5 hrs 49 mins 78 hrs 40 mins 37 hrs 13 mins 51.1%
    Total 1497 hrs 42 mins 112 hrs 29 mins 1610 hrs 11 mins 683 hrs 08 mins 45.6%

    * This figure does not include time spent on the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial responsibility for approval of RU486 Bill 2005 [2006] which was a private senators' bill.
    + This figure does not include time spent on the Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 which was a private senators' bill.

  • 40th Parliament — 12 February 2002 to 30 August 2004
    Session Sitting dates Business time Adjournment time Total time Total time spent on legislation % of business time spent on legislation
    Summer 2002 12/2/02 - 14/2/02 22 hrs 49 mins 1 hr 30 mins 24 hrs 19 mins 2 hrs 47 mins 12.2%
    Autumn 2002 11/3/02 - 21/3/02 70 hrs 16 mins 3 hrs 16 mins 73 hrs 32 mins 40 hrs 21 mins 57.4%
    Budget 2002 14/5/02 - 16/5/02 23 hrs 06 mins 1 hr 52 mins 24 hrs 58 mins 3 hrs 54 mins 16.9%
    Winter 2002 17/6/02 - 27/6/02 70 hrs 47 mins 4 hrs 04 mins 74 hrs 51 mins 37 hrs 24 mins 52.8%
    Spring 2002 19/8/02 - 12/12/02 319 hrs 22 mins 22 hrs 05 mins 341 hrs 27 mins 176 hrs 10 mins 55.2%
    Summer 2003 4/2/03 - 6/2/03 23 hrs 53 mins 2 hrs 06 mins 25 hrs 59 mins 5 hrs 16 mins 22%
    Autumn 2003 3/3/03 - 27/3/03 95 hrs 53 mins 9 hrs 27 mins 105 hrs 20 mins 39 hrs 03 mins 40.7%
    Budget 2003 13/5/03 - 15/5/03 23 hrs 49 mins 1 hr 32 mins 25 hrs 21 mins 2 hrs 15 mins 9.4%
    Winter 2003 16/6/03 - 26/6/03 79 hrs 15 mins 5 hrs 08 mins 84 hrs 23 mins 50 hrs 57 mins 64.3%
    Spring 2003 11/8/03 - 4/12/03 317 hrs 49 mins 24 hrs 41 mins 342 hrs 30 mins 150 hrs 43 mins 47.4%
    Autumn 2004 10/2/04 - 1/4/04 161 hrs 37 mins 14 hrs 38 mins 176 hrs 15 mins 79 hrs 10 mins 49%
    Budget 2004 11/5/04 - 13/5/04 24 hrs 23 mins 1 hr 18 mins 25 hrs 41 mins 10 hrs 10 mins 41.7%
    Winter 2004 15/6/04 - 24/6/04 93 hrs 16 mins 5 hrs 25 mins 98 hrs 41 mins 64 hrs 19 mins 69%
    Spring 2004 3/8/04 - 30/8/04 82 hrs 18 mins 4 hrs 19 mins 86 hrs 37 mins 43 hrs 53 mins 53.3%
    Total   1408 hrs 33 mins 101 hrs 21 mins 1509 hrs 54 mins 706 hrs 22 mins 50.1%
  • 39th Parliament — 10 November 1998 to 27 September 2001
    Session Sitting dates Business time Adjournment time Total time Total time spent on legislation % of business time spent on legislation
    Spring 1998
    		 10/11/98 - 10/12/98 123 hrs 47 mins 7 hrs 36 mins 131 hrs 23 mins 51 hrs 56 mins 41.9%
    Autumn 1999
    		 15/2/99 - 27/5/99 264 hrs 39 mins 15 hrs 45 mins 280 hrs 24 mins 125 hrs 21 mins 47.4%
    Winter 1999
    		 21/6/99 - 30/6/99 70 hrs 53 mins 9 hrs 06 mins 79 hrs 59 mins 51 hrs 16 mins 72.3%
    Spring 1999
    		 9/8/99 - 21/10/99 227 hrs 29 mins 13 hrs 50 mins 241 hrs 19 mins 111 hrs 56 mins 49.1%
    Summer 1999
    		 22/11/99 - 9/12/99 92 hrs 34 mins 6 hrs 39 mins 99 hrs 13 mins 58 hrs 41 mins 63.4%
    Autumn 2000
    		 15/2/00 - 13/4/00 146 hrs 16 mins 12 hrs 56 mins 159 hrs 12 mins 57 hrs 51 mins* 39.5%*
    Budget 2000
    		 9/5/00 - 11/5/00 21 hrs 31 mins 1 hr 18 mins 22 hrs 49 mins 10 hrs 42 mins 50.5%
    Winter 2000
    		 5/6/00 - 29/6/00 103 hrs 17 mins 7 hrs 17 mins 110 hrs 34 mins 61 hrs 38 mins 59.7%
    Spring 2000
    		 14/8/00 - 7/9/00 95 hrs 44 mins 7 hrs 31 mins 103 hrs 15 mins 47 hrs 06 mins 49.2%
    Summer 2000
    		 30/10/00 - 7/12/00 225 hrs 55 mins 12 hrs 14 mins 238 hrs 09 mins 137 hrs 38 mins 60.9%
    Autumn 2001
    		 6/2/01 - 5/4/01 146 hrs 24 mins 12 hrs 52 mins 159 hrs 16 mins 73 hrs 26 mins 50.2%
    Budget 2001
    		 9/5/01 - 24/5/01 24 hrs 01 min 1 hr 38 mins 25 hrs 39 mins 9 hrs 33 mins 39.8%
    Winter 2001
    		 18/6/01 - 28/6/01 74 hrs 19 mins 4 hrs 21 mins 78 hrs 40 mins 46 hrs 35 mins 62.7%
    Spring 2001
    		 6/8/01 - 27/9/01 168 hrs 13 mins 10 hrs 14 mins 178 hrs 27 mins 78 hrs 19 mins 46.6%
    Total   1785 hrs 02
    mins         		123 hrs 17
    mins         		1908 hrs 19
    mins         		921 hrs 58
    mins         		51.6%

    * Excluding the time spent (9 hrs 52 mins) on consideration of the Human Rights (Mandatory Sentencing of Juvenile Offenders) Bill 1999