House of Representatives Standing and Sessional Orders
As at 12 March 2008
Chapter 18. Communication between the House and the Senate
Chapter outline
This chapter provides for communication between the House and the Senate.
General
258 Modes of communication
The House may communicate with the Senate by message or by conference in accordance with standing orders 262–266. Committees of the House may also confer with committees of the Senate in accordance with standing order 238.
Messages
259 Messages to the Senate
Every message from the House to the Senate shall be signed by the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker and delivered by the Serjeant-at-Arms.
260 Motion to communicate resolution to the Senate
A Member may move, without notice, that a resolution of the House be communicated by message to the Senate.
261 Messages from the Senate
When the House is sitting, every message from the Senate shall be received by the Clerk at the Table. When the House is not sitting, the Clerk shall receive any messages from the Senate. The Speaker shall report each message at the earliest convenient time and, if required, the House shall set a time for its consideration.
Conferences
262 Motion for conference
A Member may move a motion to request a conference with the Senate to resolve a disagreement between the Houses. The motion must contain the names of the Members proposed as delegates of the House.
263 Conference requested by the House
- If the House wishes to confer with the Senate it must request a conference by message.
- The message must contain an outline of the purpose of the conference and propose the number of delegates to represent the House in the conference: at least five.
- The House may not request a conference on the subject of a bill or motion in the possession of the Senate.
- The Senate shall appoint the time and place for the conference—the House must agree and communicates its agreement by message.
264 Conference requested by the Senate
If the Senate has requested a conference:
- the House shall appoint an equal number of delegates as the Senate to represent it in the conference;
- the House shall appoint the time and place for holding the conference; and
- the delegates for the House must assemble at the time and place appointed, and receive the delegates of the Senate.
265 Proceedings at conference
- At any conference it shall be the duty of the delegates of the House to resolve the disagreement between the two Houses with the delegates of the Senate.
- The delegates of the House must read and deliver in writing to the delegates of the Senate the reasons or resolutions of the House, and hear and receive in writing from the delegates of the Senate the reasons or resolutions of the Senate.
- The delegates may then discuss the disagreement. The objective of the delegates of the House shall be the withdrawal by the delegates of the Senate of the disagreement, or its modification or amendment.
- For bills, the delegates of the House may not suggest an amendment (other than a consequential amendment) to any words of a bill which both Houses have already agreed, unless the words are directly affected by the disagreement.
266 Conference delegates report proceedings
The delegates of the House must report to the House immediately a conference has ended.
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