Senator LUDWIG (Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (10:54 AM) —I seek leave to make a short statement.

The PRESIDENT —Leave is granted for two minutes.

Senator LUDWIG —As I understand it, Senator Brown’s amendment includes Migration Amendment (Abolishing Detention Debt) Bill 2009, which I withdrew earlier. In addition, the part in the centre would be what I foreshadowed we may be left with. If Senator Brown were amenable to removing the paragraph beginning with ‘Migration Amendment’ and ending with ‘Representatives’ then we would have an amendment that would reflect what we can continue on to do. If not, the government would oppose that on the basis that we have not had a discussion about this particular matter.

Senator Bob Brown —I should also point out to the chamber section (e) in my amendment, which says:

The PRESIDENT —Currently I have an amendment put by Senator Bob Brown, an amendment put by Senator Ludwig and the substantive motion of Senator Xenophon. The question is that the amendment moved by Senator  Bob Brown to the amendment moved by Senator Ludwig be agreed to.

Question negatived.

The PRESIDENT —The question now is that the amendment moved by Senator Ludwig be agreed to.