DOCUMENTS

Senator CHISHOLM (Queensland—Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Assistant Minister for Resources and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (17:55): I ask that each of these motions be put separately, and I seek leave to move an amendment to general business notice of motion No. 331.

The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted. Senator CHISHOLM: I move an amendment to the motion: Omit all words after "That", insert "the Senate notes that: (a) complying with an order to produce all estimates briefs would irreparably damage the ability of Government departments and agencies to support the estimates committee process in the future; (b) it is the collective nature of questioning at estimates that contributes to the Senate's scrutiny role; and (c) the release of documents sought by orders to produce all estimates briefs would likely change the way that all Government departments and agencies prepare for estimates and, indeed, all committee processes in the future.

The PRESIDENT: The government has asked for general business notices of motion Nos 331, 332 and 333 to be put separately. Senator Chisholm has indicated to the chamber that there are different amendments to each one. Senator McKim?

Senator McKim: I wish to address that request through a point of order. Is the government intending to vote differently on all three, or is the fact that the government has flagged amendments for all three itself a rationale for having them put separately? The PRESIDENT: The government has different amendments to all three.

Generally speaking, the Senate indulges anyone who wants matters put separately, as the Greens often do. It is completely in order to move them separately. As the amendments have been circulated, you will see that they are all different.

Senator David Pocock, were you seeking the call? Senator David Pocock: I was also going to ask whether the government were going to vote differently or whether they were just wasting time. The PRESIDENT: The Greens have already asked that question, and that's been clarified.

The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Chisholm to general business notice of motion No. 331, standing in the name of Senator Hume, be agreed to.