Honourable senators, on behalf of the Honourable Senator Housakos, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, he will move:

That, notwithstanding any provision of the Rules or usual practice:

1.for the duration of the current session, at the start of Orders of the Day on every third Tuesday that the Senate sits after the adoption of this order, the Senate resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole in order to receive a minister of the Crown to respond to questions relating to his or her ministerial responsibilities, with the minister to be designated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate following consultation with the leaders and facilitators of the other recognized parties and parliamentary groups;

2.the committee report to the Senate no later than 125 minutes after it starts sitting;

3. the minister be given five minutes at the start of the Committee of the Whole for any declaration; and

4. if the designated minister is unable to attend on a particular Tuesday:

(a)the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate advise the Senate of this fact as soon as possible by making a brief statement to that effect at any time during the sitting; and

(b)the designated minister’s appearance be then postponed to the next Tuesday that the Senate sits, subject to the same conditions.