Senator FAULKNER (5:39 PM) —by leave—On a similar and associated matter which relates to the Manager of Government Business's proposition—the opposition, let me make clear, supports the motion before the chair: is it possible that we run a risk in regard to first speeches on Wednesday that if a senator is speaking at a few minutes to 12.00 and uses the time either for an extensive committee stage contribution or perhaps a second reading speech, there is a potential to run into a problem at 12.45? I am not raising this point to bowl up a googly. I just want to make sure that we allow a little flexibility in the delivery of first speeches.

I think Senator Evans's point was well made because there has been a little inconsistency here. Sometimes we have applied a little flexibility; sometimes we have not. I do not think it is really fair to whoever is presiding. If the clock is set at 20 minutes, the President, the Deputy President or the Acting Deputy President is really obligated to ensure that senators are limited in their speaking times. I just raise that with the Manager of Government Business and ask him to be mindful of this.

I suspect that we can in an informal way work something out between the parties in relation to this, but I think that—given that we have seven new senators, all of whom will be giving first speeches—now is the time for us to get some consistency into how we apply this issue of the time limit. I think it is difficult to sit down a new senator who requires a minute or two to conclude their first speech. I, for one, would want on this occasion, in these circumstances, to err on the side of flexibility. Where we might not always be as generous in the chamber, I think in these circumstances we ought to be.