Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Hansard source

I inform the Senate that I have received the following letter from Senator Siewert:

Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move that, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

"The need for the Abbott Government to respond to the Ebola epidemic and to take responsibility for Australia's role in the international effort to combat Ebola."

Is the proposal supported?

More than the number of senators required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

The proposal is supported. 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.