Full marks for thinking to Greens Senator Kerry Nettle for introducing matching legislation to the Petro Georgiou bills in the Senate yesterday. Next week will be the last time the Senate sits before the Coalition gets the numbers. The Greens, the Opposition, the Dems and the crossbenchers may as well enjoy themselves while they can.

The Greens move is important for two symbolic reasons – it may permit a debate on bills and it may lead to a division where Senators will have to show where they line up on the issue. The legislation in itself isn’t so potent – it doesn’t come from a government MP – but with Victorian Liberal right winger Judith Troeth indicating earlier in the week she would support the Georgiou bills, it still packs a punch.

Margo Kingston’s Webdiary is carrying a brief from the Greens on their plans for next week. The last few days before Parliament rises in the Senate can be long, dramatic and emotional – particularly when Senators are bidding farewell and making their valedictory speeches. If these extracts are anything to go by, these coming few will be stunners:

WHEN WILL THE GREENS BE ABLE TO HAVE THE “PETRO BILLS” DEBATED IN THE SENATE?

The Greens will wait to see whether Petro can have his bills debated in the House of Representatives. If he cannot, and it looks like this is the most likely outcome, then they will move to have the bills debated in the Senate.

The normal time for private members legislation is on Thursday afternoon but because the Senate is at the end of its session and there are a lot of government bills to get through this time slot for Private Member’s Bills has been axed for next week. In any case the need for this debate is urgent and The Greens will seek to have the bills debated as soon as possible.

To do this they will move to “suspend standing orders” in order to have the agenda of the Senate interrupted and have the bills debated there and then.

WILL THIS MEAN THAT THE DEBATE CAN BE FRUSTRATED BY LOSING THIS PROCEDURAL MOTION?

The Greens are optimistic based on ongoing negotiations that the ALP, Democrats and at least two independents will support the motion to suspend standing orders and so will have the majority required to bring the debate on. If however this majority is not achieved then there will be a half hour debate on the procedural motion which gives at least six speakers the opportunity to participate.

It’s more likely that the numbers will support a debate and so the Senate could debate the bills on Monday.

WILL THERE BE A VOTE?

At the conclusion of the debate the presiding officer will “put the question” inviting a vote on the bills. Assuming that at least two people say NO to passing the bills then the “bells will ring” and their will be a “division” or vote. At this stage we will see if any Coalition senators will cross the floor to vote to support a more compassionate approach to asylum seekers…