Senator KROGER (Victoria—Chief Government Whip) (15:50): At the request of Senator Parry, I move: (1) That: (a) standing orders 55(1), 57(1)(d) and 59 be modified as follows to provide for the consideration of general business orders of the day relating to bills on Thursdays from 9.30 am for not more than 2 hours and 20 minutes; and (b) this order operate as a temporary order until 30 June 2015 with effect from 7 July 2014. 55 Times of meetings (1) The days and times of meeting of the Senate in each sitting week shall be: Monday 10 am – 6.30 pm, 7.30 pm – 10.30 pm Tuesday 12.30 pm – adjournment Wednesday 9.30 am – 8 pm Thursday 9.30 am – 8.40 pm 57 Routine of business (1) The routine of business shall be: (d) On Thursday: (ia) General business orders of the day for consideration of bills only for up to 2 hours 20 minutes (i) Petitions (ii) Notices of motion (iii) Postponement and rearrangement of business (iv) Formal motions – discovery of formal business (v) Consideration of committee reports under standing order 62(4) (vi) Government business (vii) At 12.45 pm, non-controversial government business only (viii) At 2 pm, questions (ix) Motions to take note of answers (x) Any proposal to debate a matter of public importance or urgency (xi) Not later than 4.30 pm, general business (xii) Not later than 6 pm, consideration of government documents under general business (xiii) Not later than 7 pm, consideration of committee reports and government responses under standing order 62(1) (xiv) At 8 pm, adjournment proposed (xv) At 8.40 pm, adjournment. 59 Government and general business Government business shall take precedence over general business, except that general business shall take precedence over government business on Thursday as follows: (a) from 9.30 am, for a period not exceeding 2 hours and 20 minutes, general business orders of the day for the consideration of bills shall be considered; and (b) from not later than 4.30 pm, for a period not exceeding 2½ hours, and general business orders of the day shall take precedence over general business notices of motion on alternate Thursdays.