New record as Senate question time blows out into chaotic marathon over transparency fight

<p>Labor government loses control of chamber and threatens to strip Coalition members from parliamentary committees</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/oct/30/anthony-albanese-donald-trump-meeting-murray-watt-epbc-nature-laws-press-club-parliament-labor-coalition-sussan-ley-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>In chaotic Senate scenes, Labor has set a 125-year record by keeping question time running for more than three hours, after the government lost control of the chamber and threatened to strip Coalition members from parliamentary committees in a fight over transparency.</p><p>Senator <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2025/oct/13/what-pococks-ban-from-parliaments-sport-club-says-about-lobbying-full-story-podcast">David Pocock</a> led a push to dramatically extend question time and force ministers to answer more questions, with the Coalition, Greens and crossbench defying the government to force changes to long-held conventions and rules in the upper house. It was a rare move which Labor minister Murray Watt labelled a “dummy spit”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/30/david-pocock-murray-watt-labor-coalition-senate-transparency-debate-question-time-extended">Continue reading...</a>