Amatter 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.[1]
It can be put forward by a Senator in the Senate[2] 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.[1]
MPI's are often used by opposition parties to draw attention to government failures or areas that are politically sensitive for the government.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed] A single Senator is limited to 10 minutes discussion.[3]
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