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Ch16 Non-government business / MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE / Termination of discussion / Motion to call on business of the day



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House of Representatives                                Ch 16                                                 p 584

 

Non-government business / MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE / Termination of discussion

 

Motion to call on business of the day

At any time during the discussion any Member may move a motion ‘That the business of the day be called on’, which question is put immediately and decided without amendment or debate. 1 The term ‘business of the day’ has been given a wide interpretation to include ministerial statements, announcements of messages from the Senate and the Governor-General, and so on—the motion is in effect a closure. Such motions are, from time to time, moved immediately the proposer has been called by the Chair to open the discussion. It has become common in recent years for the Leader of the House or other Minister to take this action following occasions when the House has spent time earlier in the day on unscheduled opposition initiated debate (for example, censure motion, motion to suspend standing orders to debate a matter, motion of dissent from ruling of the Chair).



S.O. 46(e).