Senator JACINTA COLLINS (Victoria—Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) (09:31): I move: That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to provide that the motion circulated in the chamber, with respect to the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2018 be agreed to without amendment or debate. Those who were watching the House of Representatives yesterday will be aware of the importance of this matter. It is critical that we address this issue first-up today and that we address the very critical issues. I understand that the motion is being circulated, but it seems that it hasn't reached you yet, Mr President. The PRESIDENT: Senator Fifield, on a point of order? Senator Fifield: Senator Collins said that a motion had been circulated. It doesn't seem to be at this table. The PRESIDENT: I have just made the unofficial point as well. I don't have a copy either. Senator Cormann: She's misleading the chamber. Senator JACINTA COLLINS: I am not misleading the chamber. In anticipating the urgency and gravity of the nature of this, I'm more than happy to read the motion so that senators can have clear in their minds what we're addressing or seeking a suspension for. The motion reads: That: (a) the message from the House of Representatives relating to the Senate amendments to the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2018 be reported immediately, (b) consideration of the message shall have precedence over all other business, including senators' statements and question time, until determined, (c) immediately after the message is reported, the following motion in respect of the message shall be proposed from the Chair and considered without amendment: That the Senate agrees to the amendments made by the House of Representatives to the Senate amendments to the bill. (d) a senator speaking to the motion shall not speak for more than 5 minutes and, if the debate is not concluded at the expiration of 30 minutes after the motion is proposed, the question on the motion shall then be put, and (e)— Senator Bernardi: You're making it up as you go. Senator JACINTA COLLINS: Indeed we are, Senator Bernardi. Unfortunately, IT doesn't function effectively. I have (e) here. Senator Fifield: A point of order. Senator JACINTA COLLINS: There is no point of order. The PRESIDENT: Sorry, Senator Collins; I do have to hear the point of order from Senator Fifield. Senator Fifield: Not only are we at the disadvantage of not having a copy of the motion, but Senator Collins herself doesn't have a complete copy of her own motion. Item (e) is on someone's iPhone. It's not before Senator Collins or in the chamber. The PRESIDENT: On the point of order on circulation, I have been advised by the Clerk that, as long as the motion is circulated by the conclusion of this debate to allow senators to read it prior to the vote, that would mean it is compliant. I will encourage circulation of the motion, not least of all to me in the chair, to show courtesy to all senators. Senator Bernardi: Just on a point of order, Mr President: Senator Collins has admitted that she's making this up as she goes. How can they then circulate this motion, when she is just making it up on the run? The PRESIDENT: Senator Collins was reading a motion, and it will be circulated prior to the conclusion of the debate, and as soon as possible, for the courtesy of senators, myself included. Senator JACINTA COLLINS: It is unfortunate that senators on the other side would seek to make light of an issue as important as this, but I will get to (e) now, which unfortunately, I do admit, was caught behind other papers in front of me, and then we resorted to technology to attempt to resolve that. But let me get to (e). Senator Fifield: A point of order, Mr President: this really demonstrates the same level of care, concern and attention to detail which has been manifested in relation to this particular bill and those opposite when it comes to border security. The PRESIDENT: Senator Fifield, there is an opportunity for this motion to be debated. That's not a point of order. Senator JACINTA COLLINS: I thought that the Manager of Government Business in the Senate actually wanted to hear (e). I'll get to (e) now: (e) at the conclusion of consideration of the message, government business order of the day No.4 Treasury Laws Amendment (Strengthening Corporate and Financial Sector Penalties) Bill 2018 shall be called on and have precedence over all government business until determined. That is the motion that I have moved the suspension with respect to. We've moved this motion this morning because the opposition believes that, given the events in the House of Representatives yesterday, the issue should be given precedence over all other business until it is resolved. The volatility in this place just highlights that further. The House of Representatives yesterday made amendments to the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2018 that was considered in the Senate on the final sitting day of 2018. These amendments mean that the government must now listen to advice of doctors about whether sick refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island should be evacuated to Australia for medical care. Labor worked with the crossbench members of the other place to secure important amendments to strengthen this bill. Labor has been doing the same thing in the Senate and has been working closely with senators across the crossbench to make sure these amendments are supported in both houses of parliament. The passing of these amendments in the House yesterday afternoon marked the first time a government has lost a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives in 90 years. This is a significant event and one that surely means the issue deserves priority consideration this morning in the Senate. The hysterical response from the Liberal government to the events of the House of Representatives just shows how desperate they are. We have a dangerous and volatile Prime Minister. The attempts of the government today to prevent this issue from being dealt with as a matter of priority show they are just scared of losing another vote. They are a government that is divided. They are a government in chaos. They are a government—put simply—out of control. The government cannot be surprised that this matter would be atop our priority list in the Senate today. The government could have been the ones to list this issue the first time this morning, but instead we have business as usual—the Labor Party managing the program from opposition, something we have seen consistently now for some time. I urge senators to support this suspension. Let this chamber have the debate.