Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 5-5(j), I move:

That, pursuant to rules 12-1 and 12-2, the Honourable Senators Downe, Duncan, Martin, Mercer, Omidvar, Saint-Germain, Seidman, Stewart Olsen and Woo be appointed a Committee of Selection to nominate:

(a)a senator to preside as Speaker pro tempore; and

(b)the senators to serve on the several committees, except the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, during the present session;

That, notwithstanding rule 12-2, the committee not be required to present a report nominating the Speaker pro tempore within a defined period of time;

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or usual practices, and taking into account the exceptional circumstances of the current pandemic of COVID-19, the committee have the power to meet by videoconference or teleconference, if technically feasible;

That, for greater certainty, and without limiting the general authority granted by this order, when the committee meets by videoconference or teleconference:

(a)members of the committee participating count towards quorum;

(b)such meetings be considered to be occurring in the parliamentary precinct, irrespective of where participants may be; and

(c)the committee be directed to approach in camera meetings with the utmost caution and all necessary precautions, taking account of the risks to the confidentiality of in camera proceedings inherent in such technologies; and

That, if a meeting of the committee by videoconference or teleconference is public, the provisions of rule 14-7(2) be applied so as to allow recording or broadcasting through any facilities arranged by the Clerk of the Senate, and, if such a meeting cannot be broadcast live, the committee be considered to have fulfilled any obligations under the Rules relating to public meetings by making any available recording publicly available as soon as possible thereafter.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.