DOCUMENTS

Senator WALSH (Victoria—Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth) (17:16): I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator WALSH: The government will oppose this motion.

A briefing has been offered on this issue; I understand it has not yet been accepted. The number of OPDs has also doubled since the 2022 election, and the scope of these requests has also expanded significantly. The Senate has agreed an average of four OPDs per sitting day in the 48th Parliament, double the average of two per sitting day in the 47th Parliament and almost four times the average in the last term of the coalition government.

On 27 August, the Senate agreed to 14 OPDs— Senator Scarr: Fourteen OPDs in a single day. Senator WALSH: in a single day, Senator Scarr. The PRESIDENT: The question is that general business notice of motion No. 272, standing in the name of Senator Hume and moved by Senator Askew, be agreed to.