The government has withdrawn the resolution to extend the period of exemption for cabinet documents from 20 to 70 years.

The resolution was withdrawn by Leader of Government Business in the Senate Kamina Johnson Smith at the end of this afternoon’s sitting of the Senate.

Earlier in the Senate, Opposition Senator Lambert Brown had questioned why no mention of the resolution which sparked outrage in the public was made by the leader of government business.

Standing on a point of order, government Senator Pearnel Charles Jnr noted that the matter would be addressed later in the session.

The leader of government business later moved the motion to have the controversial resolution withdrawn.