Chapter 5 - Officers
of the Senate:
Parliamentary administration
Temporary
Chairs
At the commencement of every Parliament the President nominates a panel
of not less than two senators who may act as Temporary Chairs of Committees
when requested so to do by the Chair of Committees, or when the Chair of
Committees is absent (SO 12).
The warrant
nominating the panel of Temporary Chairs is read to the Senate by the President
and laid upon the Table. It is usual for the President to nominate about 12
senators as Temporary Chairs. Separate appointments of additional Temporary
Chairs may be made.
The nomination of Temporary Chairs is the President’s prerogative, but
in practice the parties indicate their nominees for appointment.
During the absence
of the Deputy President, the President may call on any one of the Temporary
Chairs of Committees to relieve temporarily in the chair, without any formal
communication to the Senate (SO 15(2)). The
Temporary Chairs are placed on a roster organised by the Deputy President, and
all Temporary Chairs on the panel may expect to serve regularly in the
President’s chair or in the chair of committee of the whole. The Temporary
Chairs exercise the full authority of the President or Chair of Committees when
presiding in the Senate or committee of the whole.
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