DOCUMENTS

Senator WALSH (Victoria—Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth) (17:26): I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator WALSH: The government will not be supporting this motion.

Negotiations with states and territories and other housing delivery stakeholders are underway and are commercial in confidence— Senator Bragg: More secrecy! Senator WALSH: It's very important that you listen. This OPD would compromise those negotiations.

Furthermore, the original OPD had a compliance date of 7 pm tomorrow, Wednesday 26 November. Senator Bragg has amended the motion at the last minute to provide an additional 17 hours, which does not make a material difference to the unreasonableness of this motion. The short timeframe of this OPD means it would not be possible to comply with it.

The number of OPDs has also doubled since the 2022 election, and the scope of these requests has expanded significantly. The Senate has agreed an average of four OPDs per sitting day— Honourable senators interjecting— Senator WALSH: I think people want me to slow down; that's what I'm hearing—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 in a single day. Senator Bragg interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Bragg! I've said 'Order!' three times.

Not only are you incredibly disrespectful; it's an even bigger offence to call out and interject when you're not in your correct spot. That goes for people on my left, too, who were also interjecting. The question is that general business notice of motion No. 275, standing in the name of Senator Bragg, as amended, and moved by Senator Askew, be agreed to.