The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —I inform the Senate that the President has received the following letter, dated 8 April 1998, from Senator Mackay:

Dear Madam President

Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move:

That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

The recklessness of the Howard Government in inciting industrial conflict on the waterfront and inflicting unnecessary hardship on thousands of Australian workers and their families.

Yours sincerely

Sue Mackay

Is the proposal supported?

More than the number of senators required by the Standing Orders having risen in their places—

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —I understand that informal arrangements have been made to allocate specific times to each of the speakers in today's debate. With the concurrence of the Senate, I shall ask the clerks to set the clock accordingly.