Parliament of Australia: Senate: Publications: Standing orders and other orders of the Senate

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Standing orders

Chapter 1 - The Opening of Parliament	Standing Order No.
Proceedings on opening	1
Governor-General’s speech	2
Address-in-reply	3
Opening of Parliament by the Queen	4

Chapter 2 - Office of the President	Standing Order No.
Term of office	5
Election of President	6
Ballot	7
Presentation to Governor-General	8

Chapter 3 - Deputy President and Chairman of Committees	Standing Order No.
Term of office	9
Appointment of Deputy President	10
Duty of Chairman	11
Temporary Chairmen	12

Chapter 4 - Absence of President, Deputy President and officers	Standing Order No.
Absence of President	13
Absence of both officers	14
Relief of President	15
Absence of Clerk	16

Chapter 5 - Standing and Select Committees	Standing Order No.
Standing Committees
Procedure	17
Privileges	18
Appropriations and Staffing	19
Library	20
House	21
Publications	22
Senators’ Interests	22A
Regulations and Ordinances	23
Scrutiny of Bills	24
Selection of Bills	24A
Legislative and general purpose	25
Estimates	26

General Committee Provisions
Membership	27
Time for reporting	28
Quorum	29
Meetings	30
Chairman	31
Proceedings	32
Meetings during sitting	33
Powers	34
Witnesses	35
Public and private meetings	36
Disclosure of evidence and documents	37
Reports	38
Proceedings on report	39
Meetings with House of Representatives committees	40
Lists of committees	41
Joint committees	42

Chapter 6 - Journals and records of the Senate	Standing Order No.
Publication of Journals and records	43
Custody of records	44

Chapter 7 - Senators' roll, attendance and places of Senators	Standing Order No.
Roll	45
Attendance of senators	46
Leave of absence to senators	47
Senators’ seats	48

Chapter 8 - Sittings, quorum and adjournment of the Senate	Standing Order No.
Meeting of Senate	49
Prayer	50
Quorum at commencement of sitting	51
Quorum during sitting	52
Adjournment of Senate	53
Adjournment without motion	54

Chapter 9 - Times of sittings and routine of business	Standing Order No.
Times of meetings	55
Conduct of business	56
Routine of business	57
Business of the Senate	58
Government and general business	59
Reports of committees – precedence	60
Consideration of government documents	61
Consideration of committee reports and government responses and Auditor-General’s reports	62
Presentation of documents	63
New business	64
Government business on Notice Paper	65
Formal motions	66
Postponement of business	67
Interruption of business	68

Chapter 10 - Petitions	Standing Order No.
Presentation of petitions	69
Form of petitions	70
Content of petitions	71

Chapter 11 - Questions seeking information	Standing Order No.
Questions without notice	72
Rules for questions	73
Questions on notice	74

Chapter 12 - Matters of public importance and urgency	Standing Order No.
Proposal for debate	75

Chapter 13 - Notice of motion	Standing Order No.
Giving of notices	76
Alteration and withdrawal of notices	77
Disallowance motions	78

Chapter 14 - Motions and questions	Standing Order No.
Notice required	79
Disposal of motions	80
Privilege motions	81
Motions concerning contempts	82
Moving of motions	83
Putting of question	84
Anticipatory motions	85
Same question	86
Rescission of order	87
Leave of the Senate	88
Superseded question	89

Chapter 15 - Amendments	Standing Order No.
Moving of amendments	90
Putting of amendments	91
Same amendment	92
Amendments to amendments	93

Chapter 16 - Previous Question	Standing Order No.
Form of previous question	94
Determination of previous question	95

Chapter 17 - Orders of the day	Standing Order No.
Source of orders	96
Disposal of orders	97

Chapter 18 - Divisions	Standing Order No.
Calling for divisions	98
Voting by President	99
Voting in divisions	100
Taking of divisions	101
Recording of divisions	102
Points of order	103
Correction of divisions	104
Divisions in committee	105

Chapter 19 - Roll call	Standing Order No.
Notice of order	106
Order for roll call	107
Conduct of roll call	108
Senators not present	109
Roll call for Constitution alteration bills	110

Chapter 20 - Bills	Standing Order No.
Initiation	111
First reading	112
Expedited proceedings on bills	113
Second reading	114
Committal	115
Consideration in committee	116
Order of consideration	117
Amendments in committee	118
Uncompleted proceedings in committee	119
Report from committee	120
Recommittal on report	121
Third reading	122
Recommittal on third reading	123
Corrections	124
Transmission to House of Representatives	125
House of Representatives amendments on bills originated in the Senate	126
Bill again returned from the House of Representatives	127
Bills received from the House of Representatives	128
Requests	129
Amendments changed to requests	130
Return of House of Representatives bill	131
Disagreement with Senate amendments	132
House of Representatives amendments to Senate amendments	133
Amendments after disagreement	134
Bills amending the Constitution	135
Lapsed bills	136
Presentation for assent	137
Amendments proposed by the Governor-General	138
Assent to bill	139
Requests on bills not amendable by the Senate	140
Requests not complied with	141
Limitation of debate on bills	142

Chapter 21 - Committees of the Whole	Standing Order No.
Appointment of committee	143
Proceedings in committee	144
Objection to chairman’s ruling	145
President to resume chair	146
Quorum	147
Report of committee	148

Chapter 22 - Instructions to committees	Standing Order No.
Effect of instruction	149
Instructions on bills	150
Notice required	151

Chapter 23 - Communication between the two houses	Standing Order No.
Methods of communication	152
Messages from the Senate	153
Communicating a resolution	154
Messages from the House of Representatives	155

Chapter 24 - Conferences	Standing Order No.
Request for conference	156
Appointment of managers	157
Sitting suspended	158
Time and place of conference	159
Proceedings at conference	160
Report of conference	161
One conference only	162

Chapter 25 - Ballots	Standing Order No.
Conduct of ballot	163

Chapter 26 - Tabling of documents	Standing Order No.
Order for the production of documents	164
Documents from the Governor-General	165
Other methods of tabling documents	166
Publication of tabled documents	167
Documents quoted in debate	168
Motions after tabling	169
Amendments after tabling	170

Chapter 27 - Addresses to the Queen or the Governor-General	Standing Order No.
Making of address	171
Presentation of address	172

Chapter 28 - Messages from the Governor-General	Standing Order No.
Presentation of message	173

Chapter 29 - Visitors	Standing Order No.
Distinguished visitors	174
Conduct of visitors	175

Chapter 30 - Witnesses	Standing Order No.
Summoning of witnesses	176
Senators as witnesses	177
Members or officers of the House of Representatives	178
Requests from the House of Representatives	179
Witnesses in prison	180
Protection of witnesses	181
Witnesses before the Senate	182
Evidence given elsewhere by senators or officers	183

Chapter 31 - Conduct of Senators and rules of debate	Standing Order No.
Order maintained by President	184
Conduct of senators	185
The call to speak	186
Speeches not to be read	187
Right to speak	188
Time limits on speeches	189
Personal explanations	190
Explanations of speeches	191
Reply	192
Rules of debate	193
Relevance and anticipation	194
Question may be read	195
Tedious repetition	196
Interruption of speaker: points of order or privilege	197
Objection to ruling	198
Closure of debate	199
Putting of question ends debate	200
Adjournment of debate	201
Interruption by adjournment of Senate	202
Infringement of order	203
Suspension of senator	204
Quarrels between senators	205
Disobedience of orders	206

Chapter 32 - Disputed returns	Standing Order No.
Petitions disputing elections	207

Chapter 33 - Effect and suspension of standing orders	Standing Order No.
Powers, privileges and immunities not affected	208
Motion for suspension	209
Effect of suspension	210

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