Senator LAZARUS (Queensland—Leader of the Glenn Lazarus Team) (13:22): I seek leave to move the following motion, regarding the resolution regarding the hours of meeting and routine of business considered earlier in the day: "(1) That the following bills have precedence in seriatim over all government business until determined: (a) Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 [No.2] and Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 [No. 2]" (b) Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015; (c) Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Bill 2016." (2) Paragraph (4) add the following bills: "Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 [No.2] and Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 [No. 2]; Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015" (3) Add the following new paragraph "(4) (c) for the purposes of this order, the consideration the Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015 be listed and considered as a Government Business Order of the Day." Leave not granted. Senator LAZARUS: Pursuant to contingent notice, I move that so much of the standing orders be suspended, as would prevent me from moving a motion relating to the conduct of the business of the Senate—namely, a motion to amend the resolution in the terms I have circulated in the chamber in my name. The PRESIDENT: Senator Lazarus, I am going to pull you up there. Successive presidents have ruled, and the procedure committee has endorsed the president's rulings—the most recent being Senator Hogg in November 2010—that repeated suspension motions such as we have had this morning are out of order. In fact, more than one has been ruled as being out of order. If you take it to its logical conclusion, it would mean that the Senate could be disrupted 75 times through the same procedure. So I am going to rule, based upon precedent, that it is not appropriate to raise that suspension of standing orders. I am happy to entertain points of order in an orderly fashion. I will not take interjections. Senator Wong: Mr President, I raise a point of order on that. I would ask that you consider two points. I am familiar with that ruling, and with Senator Hogg's ruling. My first point is that this is in relation to a different bill and, with respect, I do not believe it would be appropriate, nor consistent with precedent, for you to apply that proposition in relation to a different bill. As a matter of practicality, I would also make the point that this is the last amendment, as far as I am aware, being moved to this motion—obviously, other senators may have a different view. I will also seek leave to make a statement. I am going to give the government notice of that, given that I was gagged in responding previously— Senator Ian Macdonald: Is this a point of order? The PRESIDENT: Order on my right. I am entertaining points of order in relation to my ruling. Senator WONG: I am flagging, in an attempt to be helpful to the chair and to the chamber, that I understand Senator Lazarus has a motion on a different point. I do not believe there is any other motion to amend the motion that has been moved and circulated. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Wong. Senator Brandis, on the point of order? Senator Brandis: Mr President, on the point of order. The government supports your ruling. In substance, this issue was resolved—that is, the question of whether debate on the building and construction industry legislation should be brought forward when the matter was moved by Senator Muir—and the matter was deliberated upon then. So, with respect, Mr President, the motion in substance is the same. It is somewhat differently expressed, but the test—Mr President, through you—is whether it is in substance the same. It is in substance the same. It would have the same effect. In that regard, might I respectfully also draw to your attention standing order 86, which prevents the same question, or questions which are in substance the same question, from being put sequentially. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Brandis. Senator Cormann, on the same point? Senator Cormann: Thank you, Mr President. To add to the point of order made by my good friend Senator Brandis. The Senate this afternoon determines the hours of meeting and routine of business this week and have determined to do so without amendment or debate. There have been successive suspensions of standing orders moved to seek to negate what the Senate has already determined. That is why I join with the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Brandis, in strongly supporting the ruling that you have made which is consistent, as you say, with past rulings of past presidents, including President Hogg. Senator Moore: On the same point, in terms of the process it would seem to me that the responsibility of the Senate is to allow senators to bring their voices to this chamber. We now have had the original motion moved and passed in this place about the hours of business. We have had two senators bring forward their concerns about important pieces of legislation that they have tested on the floor of the Senate. There are only three such motions in front of the Senate. We have them all in front of us. They have been circulated. In turn I have listened to Senator Brandis and the other senators in here about their concerns. In terms of allowing free flow and goodwill in this place, where often goodwill is lacking when we have had only one other senator who has brought forward a motion, and the way that we have been proceeding with it has not taken a considerable amount of time— Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting— Senator Moore: I actually listen always with interest to Senator Macdonald, who does not allow any other voice but his own to be heard in this place. In terms of the process, I would seek your indulgence in this process that we have a senator who has brought his position to us. We have a clear process to follow. I would argue that it would be fair play, if that is a term—I do not think there is a standing order that uses that term but perhaps there should be—to allow Senator Lazarus to test his proposition before the Senate in the very short time that he would be taking to do so. The PRESIDENT: Thank you. I am happy to rule. In relation to the points that have been put forward, I will allow Senator Lazarus to continue with his motion. But I will give notice to all senators that I will not allow a further suspension of standing orders in relation to the routine of business. That has been determined by the Senate— Senator Wong interjecting— The PRESIDENT: I am still speaking, Senator Wong. That has been determined by the Senate now on four occasions. I agree with Senator Brandis about the substance of this motion; it is identical apart from the different bill name that has been inserted. The motion is achieving the same thing. If I were to allow this to continue, it could go all day and would disrupt the work of the Senate. The Senate has decided its business. I will allow this one last time with Senator Lazarus. Senator Wong? Senator Wong: I did flag previously—this is a point of order in relation to that ruling—that I would be seeking leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: That is a separate matter. You are entitled to do that afterwards. Senator Lazarus, you can move your motion and speak to it. Senator LAZARUS: Thank you, Mr President. I move: "(1) That the following bills have precedence in seriatim over all government business until determined: (a) Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 [No.2] and Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 [No. 2]" (b) Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015; (c) Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Bill 2016." (2) Paragraph (4) add the following bills: "Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 [No.2] and Building and Construction Industry (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 [No. 2]; Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015" (3) Add the following new paragraph "(4) (c) for the purposes of this order, the consideration the Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015 be listed and considered as a Government Business Order of the Day." Senator LAZARUS: Coal seam gas mining is one of the most evasive and diverse forms of mining in the world. CSG mining is currently exploding across Queensland, affecting the health and welfare of Queenslanders across my home state. CSG mining is depleting the important aquifers, contaminating remaining water, damaging the health of people and animals, and destroying communities. The people of Queensland have virtually no rights to say no to mining on their land. Queenslanders who try to stop CSG mining companies from coming onto their land are bullied and subjected to harassment and other nasty tactics. Farmers and Queenslanders affected by CSG mining are expressing a range of serious matters, including health issues, death of livestock and depletion and contamination of groundwater. Bores and wells are running dry and are becoming toxic because of CSG mining. Animals are losing their hair and they are dying. Children are suffering from nosebleeds and unexplained ailments. Many people have developed chronic illnesses. Senator McGrath interjecting— Senator LAZARUS: These are the people who voted you in. Oh, no, you didn’t get voted in—did you?—you got parachuted. Senator McGrath: You didn't get voted in either. Clive Palmer put you in. Senator LAZARUS: You got 500 votes and you are in there. Senator McGrath interjecting— Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, on my right! Two matters: firstly, interjections are disorderly and I need to hear the speaker; and, secondly, Senator Lazarus, it would help if you addressed your remarks to the chair and not inflame the interjections. Senator LAZARUS: Sorry, Mr President. They bring out the best of me! CSG mining— Senator Ian Macdonald: What about Townsville? Senator LAZARUS: Don't you talk about Townsville, Senator Macdonald. The PRESIDENT: Senator Lazarus, through the chair. Senator LAZARUS: CSG mining has been banned in other countries because of its harmful, long-term economic, health, social and environmental impacts. It is extremely dangerous and needs to be stopped in Australia. I urge everyone in this room to go for a drive into our agricultural heartland to see the damage, the destruction and the devastation caused by CSG mining. The Senate inquiry into unconventional gas mining heard from families with sick children and from farmers, who used to be in favour of CSG mining who have been treated with absolute disrespect and now argue against it. It is destroying rural Queensland communities and the fact that property owners cannot refuse access to their land is an absolute outrage. I call for immediate action on this issue and I call on the Greens to show some heart and soul, and to support the people of Queensland and the rest of Australia from being decimated by unconventional gas mining by supporting the inclusion of the Landholders' Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal) Bill 2015 in this week's sitting.