Labor’s bid to restore parliament’s control over adjournments has been rejected, with its amendment voted down 10–23 in the Tasmanian House of Assembly.
Manager of Opposition Business Ella Haddad had pushed to reinstate votes on adjournment motions in parliament on Tuesday, a move designed to stop the government from unilaterally ending the sitting day.
She argued the change was needed after a minister once “decided to shut down the business of the day in a selfish move” that cancelled a planned motion for the late former Labor minister Fran Bladel.
“It shouldn’t just be the executive that controls what happens in this place,” she told parliament, arguing the change would show “it’s this parliament that should have the control over when this house ceases its business for the day”.
The government and crossbench disagreed. Leader of Government Business Eric Abetz said the amendment risked parliament being forced to sit indefinitely.
“We would then have the possibility of at the end of the day, when everybody was ready to go and leave, all of a sudden be confronted with having to sit… for at least another ninety minutes,” Abetz said.
“And I don’t think that is a good workplace practice and I would have thought those that always talk about good workplace practices would like this motion to ensure that there [is] certainty to the day.”
The Greens also opposed the change, with deputy leader Vica Bayley warning it could raise constitutional issues.
“There are mechanisms to prosecute no confidence in the government,” he said, suggesting proper no-confidence motions were more appropriate than adjournment votes.
Independent David O’Byrne criticised Labor for springing the amendment at the last minute after weeks of cooperative negotiations.
“Read the room, people are working together,” he said.
“If the government behaves in a poor way we have the forms of the house to manage that.”
