House of Representatives Committees

Standing determinations relating to the radio broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings

Adopted by the Joint Committee on the Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings on 21 September 1994 and as amended to 17 August 2005

Transfer of broadcast from one House to another

1. When both Houses are meeting on the one day and the House whose proceedings are being broadcast adjourns for the day or suspends its proceedings for an extended period, the broadcast may be transferred to the other House at the earliest opportunity.




2. On any day when both Houses are meeting and on which the House to which the broadcast for the day has not been allocated meets prior to the allocated House, the proceedings of the House first mentioned shall be broadcast from the time of its meeting until the latest time for transfer of the broadcast to the allocated House for the commencement of its proceedings.




Allocation of broadcasts

3. The allocation of broadcasts shall be as follows, subject to paragraph 4:

Monday	- House of Representatives
Tuesday	- Senate
Wednesday	- Senate
Thursday	- House of Representatives
Friday	- House of Representatives
Saturday	- Senate
Sunday	- House of Representatives

4. If there are significant issues under debate in the House not allocated the broadcast, a decision to transfer the broadcast may be made by:
1. the Joint Committee or its subcommittee; or


2. the Presiding Officers, on advice from the Serjeant-at-Arms and the Usher of the Black Rod in consultation with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The decision:
1. must include an examination of reasons in favour of and against the transfer, and
   
2. may initially be given orally, but must be reported to the Joint Committee in writing.




Rebroadcast of questions and answers

5. When points of order or other extraneous matter are eliminated from the rebroadcast of questions and answers, this should be indicated by an appropriate announcement.




Rebroadcast of Governor-General's speech

6. On the first sitting day of each session of the Parliament the Australian Broadcasting Corporation shall rebroadcast the speech of the Governor-General at the earliest convenient time available on the Parliamentary Broadcast Network.




Announcements from control booths

7. The following general principles apply to announcements made from the control booths:


1. announcements can include a description of procedure, and business before the allocated House or of business before the other House or of procedures and/or business before joint committees or committees of either House;


2. general information can be provided about the context of debates or particular proceedings as long as political views or forecasts are not included;


3. the announcement of each Senator or Member receiving the Call includes the following particulars


(i) name,

(ii) parliamentary office or portfolio,

(iii) political party,

(iv) electorate or state,


names of members intending to speak may be announced; and


pre-recorded parliamentary educational information, as approved by the Secretary to the Joint Committee, may be used during procedural processes, such as divisions, that take place during a boardcast.

8. Details of coverage of broadcasts are to be reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to the Joint Committee at the end of each three month period.

Back to top