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Standing Orders
Chapter 1 - The opening of
parliament
1 Proceedings on opening
(1) On the first day of the meeting of a
session of Parliament, after a general election for the Senate and the House of
Representatives, or after a general election for the House of Representatives:
(a) If there is a President
the President shall take the chair at the time specified in the proclamation.
(b) The Clerk shall read the
proclamation calling Parliament together.
(c) Deputies appointed by the
Governor-General shall be introduced by the Usher of the Black Rod to the
Senate chamber.
(d) The Senior Deputy shall
direct the Usher of the Black Rod to desire the attendance of the members of
the House of Representatives to hear the commission read.
(e) Members of the House of
Representatives shall sit in the Senate chamber and the Clerk shall read the
commission.
(f) The Senior Deputy shall
then inform the members of both Houses that the Governor-General will at a
future time declare the cause of calling Parliament together.
(g) The certificate of
election or choice of each senator whose term of office has begun since the
last sitting of the Senate shall be laid on the table, and each such senator
may then make and subscribe the oath or affirmation of allegiance in accordance
with the Constitution.
(h) If the office of President is vacant the Senate shall elect a President.
(2) On the first day of the meeting of a
session of Parliament not after a general election for the Senate and the House
of Representatives or a general election for the House of Representatives:
If there is a President:
(a) The President shall take
the chair at the time specified in the proclamation.
(b) The Clerk shall read the
proclamation calling Parliament together.
(c) The Governor-General shall
be introduced by the Usher of the Black Rod to the Senate chamber.
(d) The certificate of
election or choice of each senator whose term of office has begun since the
last sitting of the Senate shall be laid on the table, and each such senator
may then make and subscribe the oath or affirmation of allegiance in accordance
with the Constitution.
If there is no President:
(e) The Clerk shall at the
time specified in the proclamation read the proclamation calling Parliament
together.
(f) Deputies appointed by the
Governor-General shall be introduced by the Usher of the Black Rod to the
Senate chamber.
(g) The Clerk shall read the
commission.
(h) The Senior Deputy shall
inform the Senate that the Governor-General will at a future time declare the
cause of calling Parliament together.
(i) The certificate of
election or choice of each senator whose term of office has begun since the
last sitting of the Senate shall be laid on the table, and each such senator
may then make and subscribe the oath or affirmation of allegiance in accordance
with the Constitution.
(j) The Senate shall elect a
President.
2 Governor-General’s speech
(1) When the Governor-General has
arrived at the chamber, the Usher of the Black Rod shall announce and conduct
the Governor-General to the chair, the President leaving the chair and sitting
to the right.
(2) The Governor-General will direct the
Usher of the Black Rod to command the immediate attendance of the House of
Representatives in the Senate chamber.
(3) When the members of the House of
Representatives have come with their Speaker into the Senate chamber the
Governor-General will declare the cause of calling the Parliament together.
(4) The President and the Speaker will
each receive a copy of the Governor-General’s speech, the Governor-General will
withdraw from the Senate chamber, and the President shall again take the chair.
3 Address-in-reply
(1) Before the Governor-General’s speech
is reported to the Senate, some formal business may be transacted, and
petitions may be presented, notices of motion may be given, and documents laid
upon the table.
(2) The President shall report to the
Senate the speech of the Governor-General.
(3) Consideration of the
Governor-General’s speech may be made an order of the day for a future day, or
a motion for an address-in-reply to the speech may be made.
(4) Only formal business shall be
entered into before the address-in-reply to the Governor-General’s opening
speech has been adopted.
(5) When the address has been agreed to,
a motion will be made that it be presented to the Governor-General by the
President and senators.
(6) The President shall report to the
Senate the presentation of the address and the reply of the Governor-General.
4 Opening of Parliament by the Queen
When Her Majesty the Queen is present in
Australia and intends to indicate in person the cause of the calling together
of Parliament, references in this chapter to the Governor-General shall be read
as references to Her Majesty the Queen.
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