The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —The President has received a letter from Senator Forshaw proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion, namely:

The failure of the Federal Liberal-National Party Government to address the needs of rural and regional Australia as demonstrated by their lack of support for our major agricultural industries, failure to adequately support rural producers facing extreme financial difficulties and severe cuts to vital rural and regional programs and services.

I call upon those senators who approve of the proposed discussion to rise in their places.

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.