General Debate
Senate · Tuesday 25 November 2025
Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia
Senator Wendy Askew moved an amended motion requiring the Minister representing the Minister for Housing to table advice and correspondence relating to the replacement of Ms Carol Austin as Chair of the Housing Australia Board. The motion specified a deadline of midday on 27 November 2025 for documents received since 24 October 2025. Senator Jess Walsh opposed the motion, arguing that the timeframe was unreasonable and impossible to comply with. Walsh highlighted a significant increase in the volume and scope of orders in the council of the Senate during the 48th Parliament. The government declined to support the motion due to these procedural concerns.
The motion was passed by 36 votes to 21.
Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.
Opened the debate
Askew moved the motion at the request of Senator Bragg to require the tabling of advice, correspondence, and notes given to the Minister for Housing or their office. The request covered documents relating to the replacement of Ms Carol Austin as Chair of the Housing Australia Board. Askew specified that the documents must be laid on the table by midday on 27 November 2025. The scope included any advice received since 24 October 2025.
Government response
Walsh stated that the government would not support the motion, citing the increasingly inappropriate use of orders in the council of the Senate. Walsh argued that the compliance timeframe was unreasonable and impossible to meet, noting that an amendment had only added 24 hours to the original deadline. Walsh pointed out that the number of such orders had doubled since the 2022 election, with the Senate agreeing to an average of four per sitting day in the 48th Parliament. Walsh contrasted this with the lower averages in previous parliaments and noted that 14 orders were agreed to on a single day in August 2025.