Opened the debate
Thorpe moved a motion requiring ministers to provide explanations immediately prior to the consideration of any bill under specific conditions. These conditions included instances where the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights had sought a response without receiving one, or had concluded a bill was incompatible with Australia's international human rights obligations. The motion also applied where the committee had made recommendations to amend a bill that were not implemented. Thorpe proposed that following such an explanation, any senator could move a motion relating to the bill or to take note of the explanation. The procedures were intended to be usable only once per sitting day for any given bill and were to be of continuing effect.