The lower house will spend extra time considering amendments to the federal government’s carbon pricing package this evening.
The House of Representatives had already extended its sitting day by five hours today to allow extra speakers for the debate on the package of 19 bills.
Now it will add an extra 90 minutes to the consideration in detail stage of the debate, when amendments to the legislation are considered.
Opposition’s climate change spokesman Greg Hunt and Nationals MP Tony Crook have both indicated they will seek to amend the legislation.
Government house leader Anthony Albanese said the further extension of time came at the request of the opposition.
The lower house will now sit until 11pm today.
“This will allow for some certainty and for debate to end at a reasonable time for the parliamentary staff, given that will be a 14-hour sitting day today,” Mr Albanese told Parliament.
The final vote on the carbon pricing package will be held tomorrow.
Opposition house leader Christopher Pyne said there would still be speakers listed who would not get a chance to contribute to the debate.
When question time started, there were two Coalition and seven Labor speakers who had indicated they wished to take part but had not yet had the chance.
“Quite frankly if the leader of the house wanted to get this legislation right rather than just get it through … there would not be a vote happening at five o’clock tonight … and the consideration in detail would be left open-ended,” Mr Pyne told Parliament.
Mr Albanese offered to allow the two opposition members to make their speeches, instead of the house debating an opposition motion condemning the government for introducing the carbon tax while there was economic uncertainty.
The Coalition did not take up his offer.
