| Item |
42nd Parliament |
43rd Parliament |
Comments/
Relevant standing orders |
Acknowledgement
of country |
No acknowledgement of country |
Speaker to make acknowledgement of country
every morning before prayers
|
Introduced for the first time in 43rd Parliament
(SO 38) |
| Question Time |
No time limits for questions or answers
Answers must be relevant to the question |
Time limits of 45 seconds for questions and 4 minutes for answers
Answers must be ‘directly
relevant’ to the question
Only one point of order on relevance allowed for each answer
|
(SOs 86, 100, 104) |
| Matter of public importance (MPI) |
After Question Time, documents and ministerial
statements on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Duration, 1 hour
Speaking times – 15 mins for proposer and Member next speaking, 10 mins for next two Members speaking and 5
mins for any other Member
|
After Question Time and documents on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Duration, 1 hour 30 mins
Speaking times – 15 mins for proposer and next Member speaking and 10 mins for any other Member |
Duration of MPI extended to 1 hour 30 minutes. MPI to follow Question Time (and documents).
(SOs 1, 34, 46) |
| Private Members’ business |
Total time allocated for
committee and delegation business and private Members’ business on Mondays in Chamber,
1 hr, and in Main Committee,
1 hr 35 mins
Government and Opposition Whips schedule private
Members’ business on Mondays
5 mins speaking time on presentation of private Members’ bills |
Total time allocated for
committee and delegation business and private Members’ business on Mondays in Chamber,
3 hrs 30 mins, and in Main Committee, 5 hrs
Selection Committee schedules private Members’ business on Mondays
10 mins speaking time on
presentation of private Members’ bills
Selection Committee recommends items of private Members’ business to be voted on
|
Additional time for private Members’ business in Chamber and Main Committee
Role for Selection Committee in scheduling private Members’ business and in recommending items to be voted on
Increase in speaking time for presentation of private Members’ bills from 5 to 10 mins
(SOs 1, 34, 41, 141, 192, 222) |
| Adjournment debate |
Chamber
Monday: 9.30pm–10pm
Tuesday: 8.30pm–9pm
Wednesday: 7.30pm–8pm
Thursday: 4.30pm–5pm
Main Committee
Thursday: 12.30pm–1pm |
Chamber
Monday: 9.30pm–10.30pm
Tuesday: 9.30pm–10.30pm
Wednesday: 7pm–8pm
Thursday: 4.30pm–5pm
Main Committee:
Thursday: 12.30pm–1pm
|
Length of adjournment debate in Chamber increased from 30 mins to 1 hour on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
(SOs 1, 29, 31, 34, 192) |
| 90 second statements |
In Main Committee on Mondays (6.40pm-6.55pm). |
In Chamber on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, immediately prior to Question Time (1.45pm-2pm).
|
(SOs 1, 43) |
House committees
(general purpose standing) |
12 committees
Membership of committees is
10
2 supplementary members allowed on an inquiry |
9 committees
Membership of committees is 7
4 supplementary members allowed on an inquiry
Selection Committee to refer controversial bills/bills requiring additional
consultation to relevant committee
Provision for Chairs and Deputy Chairs to make statements in House regarding inquiries during time for committee business on Mondays
|
Number of committees and membership of committees reduced
Number of supplementary
members allowed increased
Referral of bills to committees by Selection Committee and provision for statements in the House regarding inquiries are new reforms
(SOs 39(a), 143, 215, 222(iii)) |
Government
responses to House/Joint
committee reports |
No formal time limit for
government responses |
Six month time limit for
government responses
When time limit not met,
statement of reasons for
delay to be presented in House by relevant Minister
and possibility of Minister
being required to appear
before relevant committee
|
Resolution of the House
(adopted 29 September 2010) |
| Time limits for second reading speeches |
20 min limit for second reading speeches
(Excludes speeches by Mover,
Leader of Opposition or Member
representing for government bills;
and Mover, Prime Minister or
Member representing and Leader
of Opposition or Member
representing for private Members’ bills) |
15 min limit for second reading speeches, or lesser time determined by Selection Committee.(Excludes speeches by
Mover, Leader of Opposition or
Member representing for
government bills; and Mover,
Prime Minister or Member
representing and Leader of
Opposition or Member
representing for private
Members’ bills)
|
Time limit for most second reading speeches reduced from
20 to 15 minutes. Selection Committee may reduce time-limit
further.
(SOs 1, 222(a)(iv)) |
| Questions during second reading debate |
No provision for questions during second reading debate |
For 5 mins at conclusion of
second reading speech, Member may be questioned in relation to their speech
Time limit of 30 secs for
questions and 2 mins for
replies
Members not obliged to take questions
Does not apply to Minister’s second reading speech, speech of main Opposition speaker and Minister’s speech closing debate
|
(Sessional order 142A) |
| Recommittal of votes |
No provision for recommittal of
vote where Member accidentally absent |
If a division has miscarried by a Member being accidentally
absent or similar incident, a
Member may move a suspension of standing orders to enable the House to divide again. If agreed to, the question is put again.
|
A suspension motion moved without notice can be carried only by an absolute majority of Members
(SOs 47, 132(b)) |
| House Selection Committee |
No House Selection Committee |
Established to:
Arrange timetable and order
of committee and delegation business and private Members’ business on Mondays
Recommend items of private Members’ business to be voted on
Select bills for referral to relevant committee
Subject to SO 1, set speaking times for
|
Selection Committee reintroduced with wider role than Selection Committees established in 41st and previous parliaments
(SO 222) |
| House Appropriations and Administration Committee |
No House Appropriations and Administration Committee |
Established to consider:
estimates of funding for the Department of the House of Representatives (DHR)
proposals for administrative changes and variation to
service provided by the DHR
administration and funding of security measures affecting the House
proposals for works in the parliamentary precincts requiring parliamentary
approval Committee will make an annual report to the House |
Established for the first time in 43rd Parliament
(SO 222A) |
| Hours of sitting |
Chamber
Monday: 12 noon–10pm
Tuesday: 2pm–9pm
Wednesday: 9am–8pm
Thursday: 9am–5pm
Main Committee
Monday: 4pm–6.40pm (if
required), and 6.40pm-9.30pm
Tuesday: 4pm–8.30pm (if
required)
Wednesday: 9.30am–1pm, and
4pm–7.30pm (if required)
Thursday: 9.30am–1pm
|
Chamber
Monday: 10am–10.30pm
Tuesday: 2pm–10.30pm
Wednesday: 9am–8pm
Thursday: 9am–5pm
Main Committee
Monday: 10.30am–1.30pm, and 4pm–10pm
Tuesday: 4pm–10pm (if required)
Wednesday: 9.30am–1pm, and 4pm–7.30pm (if required)
Thursday: 9.30am–1pm |
Sitting hours extended on Mondays and Tuesdays in Chamber and Main Committee
(SOs 29, 34, 192) |