Tasmania’s Legislative Council has voted to cap speeches at one hour for the first time in its 200-year history, after effectively spending a whole afternoon and evening debating whether members talk too long.
The motion, moved by Member for Launceston Rosemary Armitage, passed nine votes to three on Tuesday night and took effect immediately.
Under the new sessional order, members may speak for up to 60 minutes during second reading debates and on motions.
Committee stage contributions are capped at 15 minutes, with members able to speak up to three times on each question.
Independent Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest led opposition to the change, arguing no problem had been identified to justify it and that the Standing Orders Committee was already reviewing the issue.
“The quality of scrutiny in this place comes precisely from members having the time to properly test an issue, whether it takes 10 minutes or an hour, without a clock deciding in advance how much time any one bill deserves,” she said.
Independent Nelson MLC Meg Webb was also opposed, warning the motion would “remove entirely a discretion of each member to undertake their role as they deem most appropriate”.
Greens MLC for Hobart Cassy O’Connor moved an amendment to refer the proposal to the Standing Orders Committee instead, but it was defeated.
Member for Elwick Bec Thomas spoke in favour of the change.
“Anyone can speak at length, the greater challenge is speaking effectively,” she said.
Newly elected Member for Huon Clare Glade-Wright backed the motion during her inaugural speech.
“If the central points of an argument cannot be made within an hour, then perhaps the task before us is to sharpen the argument itself,” she said.
Tasmania’s upper house had been one of only a handful of Westminster chambers anywhere without speaking limits, Windermere Liberal MLC Nick Duigan told the debate.
He said speaking limits would “encourage focused, relevant and concise contributions that assist the House in reaching informed decisions”.
