Chapter 16 - Committees
Staff of committees
Standing orders
require each legislative and general purpose standing committee to be provided
with “all necessary staff, facilities and resources” (SO 25(17)). As a matter
of practice, each committee is supported by a full-time committee secretary
and a number of research and clerical staff. The secretary is the committee’s
principal adviser on committee procedures and manages all aspects of the
committee’s research and operations. The secretary prepares an initial draft of
the chair’s report (SO 38(1)).
At the first meeting of the committee the secretary takes the chair, calls for
nominations for the chair, conducts any subsequent ballot and declares the
outcome. The successful candidate for chair then assumes control of the
proceedings.
The secretary is responsible for preparation of the committee’s
minutes. The secretary records members’ attendances and absences, motions and
amendments moved and the name of the senator proposing them, resolutions agreed
to and the names and votes of senators in the event of any division to
determine the matter (SO 32(2)).The draft
record of meetings, votes and resolutions is subject to the endorsement,
amendment or rejection of the whole committee, not only the chair.
The secretary also
assists the chair in maintaining a quorum by ensuring
that the attendance and presence of members furnishes a quorum at all times. A
committee cannot commence formal business in the absence of a quorum. It is a
secretary’s role to monitor this requirement to ensure that no doubt can arise
about the validity and hence the privileged status of the proceedings. The
secretary records the names of senators present and constituting a quorum.
Where no quorum is formed within 15 minutes of the appointed meeting time,
the senators attending may depart after the secretary has recorded their names
in the minutes. In these circumstances, the secretary fixes another time for
the meeting (SO 29).
Where a committee or subcommittee has resolved to invite witnesses to
assist it, or has ordered the attendance of a witness or the production of
documents, the chair directs the secretary to carry out the committee’s wishes
by signing the invitation or order to attend and produce documents (SO 176). As a courtesy
to particular witnesses, such as ministers, members of the judiciary or
ambassadors, the chair signs the invitation to attend before the committee.
With the approval
of the President, a committee may agree to engage the services of a consultant
to advise on matters of technical complexity associated with or arising from an
inquiry (SO 25(17)). A contract
of engagement is drawn up by the secretary who is responsible for managing the
quality, timeliness and cost effectiveness of the consultant’s contribution.
Committees other than the legislative and general purpose standing
committees have designated secretaries, who may be senior officers of the
Senate Department performing other duties in the department.
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