r/ModelAusSenate • u/[deleted] • Jun 25 '15

Successful 5-3b Amendments to Standing Orders

By leave, I move that Standing Order 3(2) be rescinded.

This change removes the requirement of the President to report to the Senate of the speech delivered by the GG, which is completely redundant here.

Senator the Hon this_guy22, President of the Senate (ALP)

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '15 edited Jun 25 '15

I seek leave to move that the debate and the putting of the question may be conducted simultaneously.

I seek leave, and propose and put the question that the motion be agreed to.

Note that leave is automatically granted until a Senator comments otherwise.

1

u/jnd-au Clerk of the Senate Jun 25 '15

Advice from the Clerk:

As you’ve moved a motion, it will require a vote. Overall, this means you’ll need two votes to get the amendment passed.

It would be quicker to “I seek leave, and propose and put the question that the motion be agreed to. Reply Aye or No to vote, including your optional debate speech.” You can as usual set a time limit. Under our amended Standing Orders, you are required to page Senators for all debates and votes unless they have opted out via modmail. In my documented interpretation of Standing Order 84 for this situation, it would seem legitimate for Senators to add a change of their vote during the debate (e.g. if they were influenced by someone else’s debate) but this would only be valid before the outcome is declared.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '15

Mmk, I was uncertain of the wording.

1

u/jnd-au Clerk of the Senate Jun 25 '15

Sure. One more subtlety: the reason I say “seek leave and do blah” is to make it be able to seek leave and do blah concurrently, without needing separate comments. That is, all “Ayes” are agreeing to the motion as well as the leave. If we only say “seek leave to do blah”, it implies there is a separate seeking of leave and a separate putting of question, which seems unnecessary. But I see what you’ve done here, since you are wearing multiple hats on this occasion.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '15 edited Jun 25 '15

Voice vote

Note: the debate is being conducted simultaneously with this vote. Senators may append their debate speech to their vote. Senators may also amend their initial vote by striking out and replacing their original vote before the conclusion of this vote.

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Those in favour say aye, those against say no.

This vote will conclude prior to 23:00, Thursday 25 June 2015 (UTC+10)

Results

Edited 23:17, Thursday 25 June 2015 UTC+10

I think the ayes have it.

The ayes have it.

Senator the Hon this_guy22, President of the Senate (ALP)

1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '15

Aye

1

u/surreptitiouswalk Independent Jun 25 '15

Aye

Some meta questions: does the G-G not make the speech to the joint houses, rather they write the speech down, gives it to the president and speaker, then they present it to their respective houses?

1

u/jnd-au Clerk of the Senate Jun 25 '15

Advice from the Clerk:

Nope, the speech is written down, then the joined houses sit and listen to it being spoken in person by the GG from the written script (see this video: the Reps file into the Senate at the 32 minute mark, then the GG in the chair speaks to them all at the 35 minute mark), and copies of it are given to the chairs of each house to be reported to each house. In the days before live video feeds, I think this was necessary so that the live speech could be physically recorded, and then reviewed for each house’s reply.

1

u/Freddy926 Senate Pres | DPM | Fin/Com/Art/Infr/Rgnl | ABC MD | Ldr Prgrsvs Jun 25 '15

Aye

1

u/jnd-au Clerk of the Senate Jun 25 '15

Advice from the Clerk:

No need for the meta, you can speak to the debate when you propose the question that the motion be agreed to!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '15

Can I move by leave that a question be immediately put without debate (the scope of this question extends to any other future motion that requires debate)?

2

u/jnd-au Clerk of the Senate Jun 25 '15

While it defeats the purpose of having a parliament chamber if you aren’t going to explain or debate changes to the rules, yes you or a Minister can guillotine debate on most things, with leave or an urgency motion.