House of Representatives Committees

| House of Representatives Procedure

Footnotes

Chapter 1 Introduction

[1]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Preamble.

[2]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 21, p. 9.

[3]       HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 129.

[4]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011. All of the reports are available from the Standing Committee on Procedure web site at:  http://aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=proc/proceduralchanges/index.htm.

[5]       The recommendations of this report and the second and third reports on the reforms are included in Appendix C of this report.

[6]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report No. 2: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: Referral of bills to committees by the House Selection Committee, June 2011. See p.12 for the recommendation.

[7]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report No. 3: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: The effectiveness of reforms to the House committee system, February 2012.

[8]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report No. 3: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: The effectiveness of reforms to the House committee system, February 2012, pp. 23–25.

Chapter 2 The reforms – an overview

[1]       Votes and Proceedings No. 2, 29 September 2010, 31–44; HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 128–141.

[2]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011.

[3]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Preamble.

[4]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Preamble.

[5]       HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 128.

[6]       See, for example, Standing and Sessional Orders as at 1 December 2008, in particular chapter 8, covering debate, order and disorder, already provided for the customary powers of the Speaker. The traditional impartiality of the Chair is discussed in House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, pp. 163–­164.

[7]       House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 164.

[8]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 2, p. 2. On 28 September 2010 a government Member, Mr Jenkins, was elected Speaker. There were two nominations for Deputy Speaker, both of whom were Opposition Members. Following a vote, Mr Slipper was elected Deputy Speaker. There is further material on the pairing issue in the Committee’s first report, Standing Committee of Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 8.

[9]       See, for example, articles by Professor D R Rothwell and Dr D Dalla-Pozza, ‘New paradigm shows early signs of wear’, 21 September 2010, Sydney Morning Herald, viewed 1 March 2011 at <http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/new-political-paradigm-shows-early-signs-of-wear-20100921-15k6k.html>; and Marcus Priest, ‘Libs to force ALP’s hand’, Financial Review, 29 September 2010. The Commonwealth Solicitor-General issued advice on 22 September 2010.

[10]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 574. Previous Selection Committees comprised the Deputy Speaker, Chief Government and Opposition Whips, the Third Party Whip, and other members.

[11]     See standing orders 41 and 42, and note the omission of standing order 222, in the Standing and Sessional Orders as at 1 December 2008.

[12]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clauses 1 and 11, pp. 2 and 7.

[13]     Standing order 222(b), 20 October 2010. Detail on the role and operation of the Selection Committee is also contained in the Committee’s first report, Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, beginning at p. 21.

[14]     Standing order 222(a)(i-iv), 20 October 2010.

[15]     Standing order 222(a)(iii), 20 October 2010.

[16]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 543.

[17]     Hon Anthony Albanese MP, HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 131.

[18]     See Clause 4.1 of the Agreement and standing orders 1, 100(f) and 104(c), 20 October 2010. See also paragraph 2.14 below regarding revised times for questions and answers agreed to by the House on 8 February 2012.

[19]     Standing order 104(a), 20 October 2010.

[20]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.4 and 4.5, p. 3.

[21]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.7; implemented through standing order 104(b), 20 October 2010.

[22]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.7 and 4.8, p. 3.

[23]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.3, p. 3; implemented through standing order 34, 20 October 2010.

[24]     Votes and Proceedings No. 85, 8 February 2012, 1177–1179; standing orders 1, 34, 100(f) and 104 (c), 20 October 2010.

[25]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 10; and see standing order 101(b),  20 October 2010, that remained unchanged.

[26]     Standing order 101(b), 20 October 2010.

[27]     HR Deb, 20 October 2010, 859.

[28]     HR Deb, 7 February 2012, 112–13.

[29]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.6, p. 3.

[30]     HR Deb, 18 November 2010, 3027.

[31]     A private Member is defined in standing order 2, 20 October 2010, as a Member other than the Speaker or a Minister.

[32]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 6.2, p. 4. Note that the Federation Chamber was then referred to as the Main Committee. The Chamber was renamed in February 2012. (See chapter 5 for further details.)

[33]     Votes and Proceedings No. 2, 29 September 2010, 31–44; standing orders 34 and 192, 20 October 2010.

[34]     See House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, pp. 573–­574 and 584­–587.

[35]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 6.1, p. 4.

[36]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 592.

[37]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 5.1–5.3, pp. 3–4.

[38]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 588.

[39]     See Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, p. 12.

[40]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 8, p. 4. The 90 second statements occur before Question Time on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; the House does not meet until 2.00pm on Tuesdays, beginning with Question Time.

[41]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 589. See also standing order 76(a), 20 October 2010 which is in its usual form.

[42]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 7, p. 4; and see standing orders 1 and 34, 20 October 2010.

[43]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 639.

[44]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, pp. 6–7.

[45]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, pp. 11–12.

[46]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010.

[47]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.1 and 10.2, p. 5. See also Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, pp. 69 and 85.

[48]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.2, p. 5. See also Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, p. 73.

[49]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.4, p. 5.

[50]     Votes and Proceedings No. 2, 29 September 2010, 40; standing order 215(e), 20 October 2010.

[51]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 710.

[52]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.7, p. 6. See standing order 39(a), 20 October 2010, which provides slightly broader arrangements, allowing statements that ‘inform the House of matters relating to an inquiry’.  See also Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, p. 53.

[53]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.5, p. 6. See standing order 222(a) (iii), 20 October 2010. See also Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, p. 120.

[54]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, pp. 129­–131.

[55]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.6, p. 6.

[56]     HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 143.

[57]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.6, p. 6.

[58]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 11.1, p. 7.

[59]     Standing order 1, 20 October 2010. The mover on government bills, a Minister, is subject to the 15 minute time limit when ‘summing up’ at the conclusion of the second reading debate.

[60]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 11.1, p. 7.

[61]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 11.1, p. 7.

[62]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Encouraging an interactive Chamber, December 2006,
pp. 9–14.

[63]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 11.1, p. 7.

[64]     Standing order 142A(a)(c), 20 October 2010.

[65]     Standing order 142A(b)(d), 20 October 2010.

[66]     Under standing order 66A, 20 October 2010 a similar provision is available to Members in the Federation Chamber and has been used from time to time. Interventions may be sought during consideration of any order of the day.

[67]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 3, p. 2.

[68]     HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 132.

[69]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 12, p. 7.

[70]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 282.

[71]     HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 123.

[72]     HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 123. See standing order 132(b), 20 October 2010.

[73]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 16. It is possible, however, that such a motion to suspend standing orders could be agreed to on the voices.

[74]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 16.1–­16.3, p. 8.

[75]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 16.1, p. 8.

[76]     Information on the inquiry and a copy of the report is available from the Committee’s website at: http://aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=jscpbo/index.htm. The Committee was dissolved once its work was completed with the tabling of the report.

[77]     Votes and Proceedings No. 111, 30 May 2012, 1523; HR Deb, 30 May 2012, 6305.

[78]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, pp. 24–­27.

[79]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 16.2, p. 8.

[80]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, p. 27.

[81]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 16.3, p. 8.

[82]     The Committee was also given the responsibility to confer with the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations and Staffing and consider the estimates for the Department of Parliamentary Services. The Committee will then provide those estimates to the Speaker for presentation to the House and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation for inclusion in appropriation and supply bills. (Standing order 222A(b)(i) and (ii), 20 October 2010.)

[83]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 16.3, p. 8.

[84]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 18, p. 9.

[85]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 19, p. 9.

[86]     Standing Committee of Privileges and Members’ Interests, Draft Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament: Discussion Paper, November 2011, p. 5.

Chapter 3 Increased participation by all Members

[1]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Preamble.

[2]       See standing order 34 (figure 2) and standing order 192 (figure 4), 20 October 2010.

[3]       Standing orders 34 and 192, 1 December 2008. Note that the Federation Chamber was then referred to as the Main Committee. The Chamber was renamed in February 2012. (See chapter 5 for further details.)

 

[4]       Standing orders 34 and 192, 20 October 2010.

[5]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 1, p. 2.

[6]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 6.1, p. 4.

[7]       Standing order 222(a)(iii), 20 October 2010 and Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.5, p. 6.

[8]       Reports of the Selection Committee are available at the Committee’s webpage: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=selc/reports.htm.

[9]       House of Representatives Selection Committee, Report No. 3, 21 October 2010, pp. 6–7.

[10]     Refer to chapter 2, p. 3 for more information.

[11]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 25.

[12]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 577. Standing order 2, 20 October 2010, defines a private Member as ‘a Member other than the Speaker or a Minister’.

[13]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 316. An order is defined as a command and a resolution as a wish.

[14]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 318.

[15]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012. For example, these may contain terms critical of government policies or actions.

[16]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[17]     The four bills passed into law are: Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Act 2010 (Mr Wilkie); Auditor-General Amendment Act 2011 (Mr Oakeshott); Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Fair Protection for Firefighters) Act 2011 (Mr Bandt); Territories Self-Government Legislation Amendment (Disallowance and Amendment of Laws) Act 2011 (Senator Bob Brown).

[18]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[19]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[20]     Mr Bernard Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.1.

[21]     Standing orders 1, 41(a)(b)(c), and 222(a)(i)(ii), 20 October 2010.

[22]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 1.

[23]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, pp. 1 and 2.

[24]     See HR Deb, 18 October 2010, 386–388 and HR Deb, 25 October 2010, 1235­–1237;  HR Deb, 28 February 2011, 1531–1532 and HR Deb, 21 March 2011, 2369–2370;  HR Deb, 21 May 2012, 4696–4699 and HR Deb, 28 May 2012, 5640–5643.

[25]     See HR Deb, 25 October 2010, 1232–1235 and HR Deb, 15 November 2010, 2159–2162; HR Deb, 28 February 2011, 1532–1534 and HR Deb, 21 March 2011, 2374–2375; HR Deb, 19 March 2012, 3210–3212  and HR Deb, 21 May 2012, 4825–4828.

[26]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 23.

[27]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 23.

[28]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 24.

[29]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 24.

[30]     Standing order 34, 20 October 2010. The time for adjournment debate in the Federation Chamber (Thursdays at 12.30pm to 1.00pm) did not change.

[31]     Standing orders 34 and 43, 20 October 2010. The time allocated for 90 second statements is 15 minutes.

[32]     Parliamentary Library statistics, 28 June 2012. Standing order 2, 20 October 2010, defines a private Member ‘as a Member other than the Speaker or a Minister’.

[33]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 5.2, pp. 3–4; standing order 34, 20 October 2010.

[34]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 5.3, p. 4.

[35]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[36]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[37]     Parliamentary Library statistics, 28 June 2012. Two of the non-aligned Members participated in four MPI debates, three non-aligned Members each participated in one MPI debate. The Australian Greens Member participated in one MPI debate.

[38]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[39]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[40]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 592.

[41]     HR Deb, 23 August 2012, 56; House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 592.

[42]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 16.

[43]     Government Business includes government sponsored legislation and motions (including motions to suspend standing orders) and ministerial statements. (House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., (2012), p. 861.)

[44]     Private Members’ Business includes legislation and motions (including motions to suspend standing orders) sponsored by private Members and statements by Members. (House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., (2012), p. 861.)

[45]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[46]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 23.

Chapter 4 Question Time

[1]       House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 543.

[2]       Standing order 100(f) and 104(c), 20 October 2010; Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.1, p. 2.

[3]       Standing order 34, 20 October 2010; Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.3, p. 3.

[4]       Votes and Proceedings No. 85, 8 February 2012, 1177–1179; standing orders 1, 34, 100(f) and 104(c), 20 October 2010.

[5]       Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[6]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.3, p. 3.

[7]       HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 132.

[8]       HR Deb, 8 February 2012, 212.

[9]       Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[10]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[11]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[12]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[13]     Standing order 101(b), 20 October 2010; Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.2, p. 3.

[14]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 547.

[15]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 547. Standing order 100(a), 20 October 2010, prohibits questions being debated.

[16]     HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 134–135.

[17]     HR Deb, 30 September 2010, 345.

[18]     HR Deb, 30 September 2010, 345.

[19]     HR Deb, 20 October 2010, 859.

[20]     HR Deb, 7 February 2012, 112–13.

[21]     HR Deb, 8 February 2012, 195.

[22]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[23]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 547; Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[24]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.4, p. 3.

[25]     HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 181.

[26]     Standing order 104(a), 20 October 2010; Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.5, p. 3.

[27]     HR Deb, 28 October 2010, 2063.

[28]     HR Deb, 22 February 2011, 913. See also HR Deb, 28 October 2010, 2056; HR Deb, 24 November 2010, 3630;  HR Deb, 23 March 2011, 2929.

[29]     HR Deb, 24 March 2011, 3207.

[30]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 4.7, p. 3.

[31]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[32]     Hon Christopher Pyne MP, Manager of Opposition Business, Submission 4, p. 4.

[33]     Hon Pyne MP, Manager of Opposition Business, Submission 4, p. 4.

[34]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 37.

[35]     Hon Pyne, Manager of Opposition Business, Submission 4, p. 3.

[36]     HR Deb, 28 October 2010, 2062.

Chapter 5 The committee system and other issues

[1]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, chapter 5, pp. 45–59.

[2]       Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.1–10.7, pp. 5–6.

[3]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: An inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, pp. 68–69.

[4]       HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 132.

[5]       Excludes ex officio positions filled by the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.

[6]       Excludes Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and the Leader of the Opposition.

[7]       Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, pp. 39-40.

[8]       Excludes ex officio positions filled by the Speaker and provisions for supplementary Members.

[9]       Excludes Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and the Leader of the Opposition.

[10]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[11]     Standing order 215(d), 20 October 2010.

[12]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012. Note that in the 42nd Parliament, supplementary Members were appointed for two committee inquiries and in the 41st Parliament supplementary Members were appointed for one inquiry.

[13]     Standing order 222(a)(iii), 20 October 2010.

[14]     The Standing Committee on Climate Change, Environment and the Arts received nine bills, the Standing Committee on Education and Employment eight, the Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services seven, the Standing Committee on Health and Ageing three, the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade three, the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters three, the Joint Committee on Migration two, and the Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety, the Joint Committee on Treaties and the Joint Committee on the National Broadband Network one each. (Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.)

[15]     The Competition and Consumer (Price Signalling) Amendment Bill 2010 referred to the Standing Committee on Economics on 24 November 2010.

[16]     The Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011 referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs on 11 May 2011.

[17]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report No. 2: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: Referral of bills to committees by the House Selection Committee, June 2011, p. 6.

[18]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report No. 2: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: Referral of bills to committees by the House Selection Committee, June 2011, pp. 11–12.

[19]     HR Deb, 16 August 2011, 8175.

[20]     HR Deb, 22 August 2011, 8738.

[21]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report No. 2: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: Referral of bills to committees by the House Selection Committee, June 2011, pp. 11–12.

[22]     HR Deb, 13 February 2012, 812. The Committee noted the potential for duplication in two previous reports: Interim Report No. 2: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: Referral of bills to committees by the House Selection Committee, June 2011, pp. 9–10 and Interim Report No. 3: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: The Effectiveness of reforms to the House committee system, February 2012, pp. 20–21.

[23]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[24]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.7, p. 6.

[25]     To the 30 June 2012 (Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012).

[26]     HR Deb, 28 February 2011, 1528.

[27]     Agreement for a Better Parliament: Parliamentary Reform, Clause 10.6, p. 6.

[28]     HR Deb, 29 September 2010, 143.

[29]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[30]     Votes and Proceedings No. 84, 7 February 2012, 1157 (Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, The 2010 Federal Election: Report on the Conduct of the Election and Related Matters); Votes and Proceedings No. 85, 8 February 2012, 1182 (Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Reclaiming Public Space: Inquiry into the Regulation of Billboard and Outdoor Advertising); Votes and Proceedings No. 92, 28 February 2012, 1265 (Joint Statutory Committee on Law Enforcement, Examination of the Annual Report of the Australian Crime Commission); Votes and Proceedings No. 114, 19 June 2012, 1574 (Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform, Interactive and Online Gambling and Gambling Advertising and Interactive Gambling and Broadcasting Amendment (Online Transactions and Other Measures) Bill 2011); Votes and Proceedings No. 115, 20 June 2012, 1587 (Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, Report on the Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns).

[31]     House of Representatives Practice, 6 ed., 2012, p. 714.

[32]     This procedure enables the document to be placed on the Notice Paper allowing it to be debated.

[33]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: an inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010.

[34]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Building a modern committee system: an inquiry into the effectiveness of the House committee system, June 2010, pp. 66–68.

[35]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report No. 2: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament: Referral of bills to committees by the House Selection Committee, June 2011, p. 12.

[36]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, pp. 45–53.

[37]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, pp. 53–58.

[38]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 59.

[39]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 45.

[40]     These figures include suspensions of sittings. For the purpose of this average, 26 November 2009 has not been included as the House sat on that day for an unusually extended period.

[41]     Chamber Research Office statistics, 2012.

[42]     Dr Mal Washer MP, Member for Moore, Submission 2, p 1.

[43]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 53.

[44]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, pp. 54–58.

[45]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, pp. 56–57.

[46]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Exhibit 1, p. 14

[47]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Exhibit 1, p. 12.

[48]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Exhibit 1, p. 15.

[49]     HR Deb, 2 June 2011, 5790–5791.

[50]     HR Deb, 2 June 2011, 5790.

[51]     Votes and Proceedings No. 122, 15 August 2012, 1680–1681.

[52]     See standing orders 41(d) and 41(g), 20 October 2010.

[53]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p 2.

[54]     See standing order 198, 20 October 2010.

[55]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 2.

[56]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 2.

[57]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House Representatives, Submission 1, p. 3; standing order 1, 20 October 2010.

[58]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 3.

[59]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 3.

[60]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 3. See also Selection Committee, Report No. 3, 21 October 2010, p. 4.

[61]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 3.

[62]     Standing order 222(a), 20 October 2010.

[63]     Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p. 4.

[64]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 58.

[65]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 58.

[66]     Standing Committee on Procedure, Interim Report: Monitoring and review of procedural changes implemented in the 43rd Parliament, April 2011, p. 59.

[67]     See Standing Committee on Procedure, The second chamber: enhancing the Main Committee, 14 August 2000; and Standing Committee on Procedure, Renaming the Main Committee, 3 June 2004.

[68]     Votes and Proceedings No. 85, 8 February 2012, 1179.

[69]     HR Deb, 8 February 2012, 211.

Back to top

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.