How to shut down the Australian Senate in under 14 minutes, during an argument over a five minute difference between allotted speaking times OR one of the many ways members of parliament choose to waste Treasury funds.
Player Cheat Sheet:
Labor Senator Sue Lines for Western Australia, President of the Senate.
Labor Senator Loiuse Pratt for Western Australia, Acting Deputy President of the Senate
Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic for New South Wales
Labor Senator Helen Polley for Tasmania
Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe for Victoria
Liberal Senator Paul Scarr for Queensland
Labor Senator Murray Watt for Queensland.
Senate Hansard, 27 February 2024, pages 101-103:
Note: My yellow highlighting throughout the excerpt
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Pratt): Senator Polley, if you could just pause for a moment— Senator Kovacic?
Senator Kovacic: I've been waiting here for over an hour and 15 minutes, as the schedule has shifted around over and over.
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: If you are seeking a point of order—
Senator Kovacic: It's five minutes—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: No. Senator Scarr was the first speaker when no-one jumped up before then. We immediately went into 10 minutes right from the outset. Some people spoke for less than 10 minutes, as a courtesy to the chamber. But under the standing orders anyone can now speak for 10, because that is what—
Senator Thorpe: We weren't told that by the last speaker—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I beg your pardon? Senator Thorpe!
Senator Thorpe: We weren't told that by the last speaker! We were told by the person—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, sit down now! You won't get the call at all unless you sit down now. Senator Scarr?
Senator Scarr: Acting Deputy President, my understanding was that we were going through the 10 minutes and then we were starting with the five minutes with Senator McCarthy. So, Senator McCarthy has spoken. Senator Sharma spoke. We're now onto Senator Polley. My understanding—and I think the Acting Deputy President who was in the chair indicated we were on five minutes—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Scarr, I understand what the President indicated. Senator McCarthy spoke for 10 minutes—
Senator Thorpe: No she didn't!
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: and that is because she had agreement to move from the list to do a 10-minute speech. So, I'm just going according to the standing orders.
Senator Thorpe: We were told five minutes!
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senators! It is a courtesy to the chamber—
Senator Thorpe interjecting—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Stop! Stop interjecting, Senator Thorpe, and I will tell you what the rules are.
Senator Thorpe: Wake up, because you've been asleep in that chair, and I have a mother who lost a son to your system—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, sit down now!
Senator Thorpe interjecting —
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, you will come to order.
Senator Thorpe: Wake up! Wake up!
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, I've been listening intently to the speeches before me—
Senator Thorpe: No, you have not—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Polley's speech on dementia and the speech on concussion, which I note you were taking a deep interest in because of your parliamentary work.
Senator Thorpe interjecting—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Kovacic, I'm sure you're very glad you took a point of order! Please, both of you sit down and I will allow Senator Polley to continue. Senator Polley, you have the call.
Senator Thorpe: We were told five minutes. How can you as the chair change the rules? How can you come in and change the rules?
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Polley has the call.
Senator Thorpe: How come all of us heard one thing and you heard something different?
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Polley, you have the call.
Senator POLLEY: I'd like—
Senator Thorpe: No. A point of order!
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, what is your point of order?
Senator POLLEY: You're delaying it.
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Kovacic, you're on your feet. Senator Polley, my apologies.
Senator Thorpe: Where's the President? Where's the President? Where's the President?
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Kovacic, what's your point of order, please?
Senator Kovacic: I have been on my feet for quite some time—
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Yes, I understand that.
Senator Kovacic: I'm ready to sit down. I don't think it's appropriate for to you reflect on whether I'm happy that I raised a point of order. I raised it because it was appropriate and we wanted to understand when we would be able to speak. I don't think that was too much for either of us to ask.
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Kovacic, I will reflect on that as chair. Senator Thorpe?
Senator Thorpe: I'd like, respectfully, for your conduct to be reviewed by the President, who should be in the seat dealing with this issue right now because we are being done over by you and them.
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: By all means. Senator Polley?
Senator Thorpe: Point of order, now that the President is in the chair—
The PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, the way adjournment operates is by agreement. Senator McGrath made an ruling earlier because when we went to adjournment tonight there was not one senator on the five-minute list in the chamber, so he quite properly went to the 10-minute speakers and then reverted to the five-minute speakers. Senator Pratt has explained that. Senator Polley has the call. I'm going to give her the call.
Senator Thorpe: A point of order. That was not properly explained [inaudible]—
The PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, please resume your seat. I'm not entertaining any more points of order. Please resume your seat. I've ordered and the matter is finished with. I have been watching adjournment since it began.
Senator Thorpe: Of course you have, so you should know.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, resume your seat. I will order that you no longer be heard.
Senator Thorpe interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, you will no longer be heard.
Senator Thorpe: Have you made that ruling?
The PRESIDENT: Senator Polley?
Senator POLLEY: I was about to conclude my remarks—
Senator Thorpe: Point of order: are you telling me that I can't be heard? Because I want to know. Is that right? Is that what's happening?
The PRESIDENT: Senator Polley, please resume your seat. Senator Thorpe, I have ordered that you no longer be heard. Please resume your seat.
Senator Thorpe: I'm not going to leave this chamber. I will read now.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Polley, please continue.
Senator POLLEY: As I was saying, President, I was about to conclude my remarks on what I think—
Senator Thorpe interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Senator Polley, please resume your seat.
Senator Thorpe interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Minister Watt?
Senator Watt: I ask that the Senate now be adjourned. Question agreed
Senate adjourned at 20:49
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