Chapter 16 - Committees
Presentation of reports
Committees may not present reports without authority from the Senate.
Reports are presented pursuant to standing orders or other orders of the
Senate. Such orders may be specific, requiring the presentation of a specific
report on a particular day, or they may generally authorise the presentation of
reports from time to time (SO 38(6)).
Legislative and general purpose standing committees may report from
time to time their proceedings, evidence taken, and any recommendations, and
should make regular reports on their progress (SO 25(18)). Matters
referred to the committees are usually referred with a specific reporting date.
The presentation of the report becomes a Business of the Senate order of the
day and therefore has priority over government and general business for the
relevant day (SO 58(d)). Similarly,
bills referred to the committees carry a specific reporting
date, as do the particulars of proposed expenditure or estimates. Such dates
are determined on a case by case basis. For reports on annual reports the committees are
subject to fixed reporting times. Reports on annual reports tabled by 31
October each year are due by the tenth sitting day of the following year.
Reports on annual reports tabled by 30 April each year are due by the
tenth sitting day after 30 June that year (SO 25(20)).
Resolutions establishing select committees are required by standing
order 28
to fix a time for presentation of the committee’s final report. Such
resolutions usually also include a provision authorising the committee to
report from time to time. Long term select committees have also been required
to present reports on a regular basis by the inclusion of a provision along the
following lines:
That the committee report to the Senate
by the end of each June and December until the end of the Parliament or until
the committee presents its final report, whichever first occurs.
The Select
Committee on Superannuation and the Select Committee on
Community Standards Relevant to the Supply of Services Utilising Electronic
Technologies were subject to such a requirement (see 5/5/1993, J.67, as
modified by 8/2/1994, J.1219; and 19/5/1993, J.200, as modified by 22/2/1994,
J.1278).
Some standing
committees are required to present annual reports of their operations. These
include the Appropriations and
Staffing Committee (SO 19(3)(c)) and the Committee of
Senators’ Interests (SO 22A(9)). Such
reports are in addition to the committees’ other reporting obligations.
The Scrutiny of Bills
Committee and the Selection of Bills
Committee are required to report on virtually all bills considered by the
Senate. Although the standing orders do not specify the frequency of reports of
these committees, in practice they usually report each sitting week. When
presented on sitting days, reports of the Selection of Bills Committee are required
to be presented after the giving of notices; leave is required to present them
at other times.
A report of a committee is signed and presented to the Senate by the chair (SO 38(5)). In the
chair’s absence, the deputy chair or
another senator may present the report on behalf of the chair. Until a report is
tabled, it may not be disclosed to any person other than a member or officer of
the committee (SO 37).
Where members of a committee indicate an intention to present a minority report,
they may present, without leave, such a report subsequent to the presentation
of the main committee report. In the absence of a notification of intention to
the committee, however, such a minority report is simply another document for
which a senator requires leave to table. (10/5/2007, J.3805)
Reports of
committees may be presented at any time when no other business is before the
Senate (SO 63). By convention,
time is set aside after question time and discussion of any matter of public
importance or urgency each day, for the presentation of documents by the
President, by senators presenting reports from committees and by the Clerk.
Reports presented pursuant to Business of the Senate orders of the day are
presented when the business of the day is called on, while reports of the
Selection of Bills Committee are presented after the giving of notices of
motion on any sitting day. An hour is set aside on Wednesdays and Thursdays for
committee reports to be presented and debated. During the hour, a motion
relating to a report may be moved and senators may speak for up to 10 minutes
each (SO 62(4)).
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