Odgers' Australian Senate Practice Thirteenth Edition

Routine of business

The routine in which the Senate deals with its business is set out in standing order 57. On each day, question time 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. 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 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. Consideration of orders of the day relating to private senators’ bills[17]
2. Petitions
3. Notices of motion
4. Postponement and rearrangement of business
5. Formal motions - discovery of formal business
6. Consideration of committee reports under standing order 62(4)
7. Government business
8. At 2 pm, questions
9. Motions to take note of answers
10. Any proposal to debate a matter of public importance or urgency
11. Not later than 4.30 pm, general business
12. Not later than 6 pm, consideration of government documents under general business
13. Not later than 7 pm, consideration of committee reports and government responses under standing order 62(1)
14. At 8 pm, adjournment proposed
15. 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.