A matter of public importance (MPI) is a term used in the Australian Parliament where a subject is put forward for debate by the parliament. The opportunity is defined under standing order 75. It can be put forward by a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

in the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Parliament of Australia: Matters of public importance
. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved on 13 October 2012. or a member of the House of Representatives. This must be supported by a certain number of Senators or Members before the discussion can begin. In the Australian Senate, five Senators are required to provide support by standing. MPI's are often used by opposition parties to draw attention to government failures or areas that are politically sensitive for the government. In 2007, the conservative Liberal-National coalition government signalled controversial changes the MPI procedure, formalizing speaking times and reducing the amount of time that independents have to speak. A single Senator is limited to 10 minutes discussion.

References

External links

Mark Coulton MP- Matter of Public Importance- NSW Floods
Parliament of Australia {{Australia-gov-stub