Housing

Fatima Payman

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Minister representing the Minister for Housing has failed to comply with order for the production of documents no. 208, agreed to on 3 November 2025, relating to the Australian Government's 5% deposit scheme,

(ii) in a letter dated 26 November 2025, the Minister for Housing advised that more time was required to comply with the order, and

(iii) more than 2 months on from this letter being tabled, no substantive response has been provided; and

(b) requires the Minister representing the Minister for Housing to attend the Senate on 5 February 2026, at the conclusion of question time, to provide an explanation of no more than 5 minutes of the failure to comply with the order, and that:

(i) any senator may move to take note of the explanation, and

(ii) any such motion may be debated for no longer than 20 minutes and shall have precedence over all business until determined, and senators may speak to the motion for not more than 5 minutes each.

Katy Gallagher

I seek leave to move an amendment to notice of motion No. 320, which has been circulated. The effect of the amendment would be to omit paragraph (b)(i) and to allow the motion to be debated for no longer than 20 minutes.

Paul Scarr

On a point of order, I want to seek some clarification as to the intent of omitting those words, which would appear to omit the time limit for debate. We're trying to understand what the actual intent is.

Sue Lines

With the indulgence of the Senate, I will ask Minister Gallagher to perhaps give a further explanation.

Katy Gallagher

Yes, that is the effect of that amendment. We think there should be an open ended time for debate on that.

Leave granted.

I move:

Paragraph (b)(i), omit "may be debated for no longer than 20 minutes and shall".

Sue Lines

The question is that the amendment as moved by Minister Gallagher to general business notice of motion No. 320, standing in the name of Senator Payman, be agreed to.