The resulting changes have included more toilet facilities for women
in the new Parliament House, and changes to the sitting hours. These
were significantly reformed, for various reasons, following a 1993 House
of Representatives Committee Report.(9) The changes were
partly reversed in 1996,(10) but were again improved in 2003.(11)
Parliament has gone from frequently sitting until 11pm at night, to
generally finishing by 8pm and sometimes earlier.
On-site childcare, however,
is yet to be implemented. Whatever one's views about the pros and cons
of allowing children in the chamber, it seems paradoxical to actively
discourage their presence yet simultaneously not have childcare facilities
available in the parliament. To take this position risks partially disenfranchising
citizens who elect parents of young children.
If parliaments continue to become increasingly representative of the
demographic profile of the populations of their countries and regions,
if they are to continue to operate as what are effectively 'live-in'
organisations when sitting, and if they are going to maintain procedural
rules requiring, for example, the immediate presence of members on a
division, then the appropriate accommodation of children in general,
and breastfed babies in particular, will need to be considered by the
chambers. As will be seen during the discussion of various jurisdictions
below, some have been relatively accommodating; but most have not. To
some extent the arrangements made to allow exceptions to strangers rules
may reflect a divergence between the standing orders and actual parliamentary
practice in a jurisdiction. Thus, although the standing orders vary
considerably between the different jurisdictions, practice is not so
divergent.
The following sections review the standing orders in the various jurisdictions.
All numbers refer to standing order Numbers in the jurisdiction under
discussion. All references to 'in the chamber' or 'on the floor of the
chamber' should be taken to refer to the members-only area of the parliament,
unless otherwise indicated.
In the UK House of Commons, standing
orders 16163 (Attachment A) govern strangers in the chamber. During
sittings, 'No Member of this House shall presume to bring any stranger
into any part of the House or gallery appropriated to the Members of
this House' (162). The standing orders require the Serjeant-at-Arms
to remove any stranger they find in the chamber (161). They allow a
chair of a committee to confer the same power on the Serjeant for the
purposes of committee sittings.
The Canadian arrangement seems somewhat unusual. The standing
orders (Attachment B) place no restriction on the presence of strangers
in the chamber (14, 157,
158). The Orders allow any member to 'take notice' that strangers
are present, causing a motion to be put that the stranger withdraw,
much as in the UK House of Commons. The Serjeant has discretionary power
to remove strangers who are disorderly, or who disregard an instruction
to withdraw.
New Zealand's standing
orders (Attachment C) state that 'On behalf of the House, the Speaker
controls admission to the Chamber' and may 'issue rules setting out
who may be admitted to those areas' (42).
Unlike many Australian jurisdictions (but like Canada), their standing
orders do not contain a blanket prohibition on strangers. The Orders
do allow any member to 'move, without notice' that strangers be ordered
to withdraw, causing the motion to be put without debate, much as in
the UK House of Commons (39). They also directly empower the Serjeant
to remove strangers who interrupt proceedings (41).
In the House of Representatives, standing orders 312315
(Attachment D) govern strangers. They state that no member may bring
a stranger into the chamber when sitting (315). Although there are no
exceptions in this clause, a previous order (312) says the Speaker may
admit strangers into the lower galleries, or admit distinguished visitors
to 'a seat on the floor of the House'. This power was used, for example,
to admit Mr Dubcek, Chairman of the Federal Assembly of the Czech and
Slovak Federal Republic, to a seat on the floor of the House in 1991.(12)
The apparent blanket restriction has not prevented some strangers from
being in the chamber: best known is probably the example of Mark Latham
(ALP, Werriwa) who brought his son Oliver into the chamber during a
division on 7 February 2001.(13)
One reason that children have been known to be present during votes
is that the rules are relaxed during divisions because of the time pressures
involved (the dress rules, for example, are also set aside). Labor MP
Anna Burke took her child into the chamber on two occasions.(14) The Speaker subsequently
indicated to Ms Burke that other members had suggested it was not appropriate
to have a child present in the chamber.(15)
Restrictions in the Senate appear slightly more stringent (Attachment
E). The Senate Orders
do not give the President the power to admit just any strangers, but
only 'distinguished visitors'. On the other hand, in contrast to the
House of Commons, the Usher of the Black Rod acts subject to the direction
of the Senate or the President, whereas in the Commons the Serjeant
appears to have power conferred unconditionally by the standing orders.
Strangers have been present in the Senate chamber, including Senator
Winston Crane's children, brought in during the valedictory speeches
when he was retiring from the Senate.
The Queensland standing orders state that only the Speaker 'shall have
privilege of admitting strangers to the Galleries of the House' (328:
Attachment F). By 'galleries' is meant the public galleries, Hansard
gallery, media gallery, etc, but not the floor of the chamber. Queensland
also follows the UK in allowing members to 'take notice' of strangers,
causing a motion to be put without debate that they withdraw. It also
allows the Speaker or Chairman to order the withdrawal of strangers
'from any part of the House' (329).
Given that there is no standing order specifically preventing strangers
from being in parts of the House other than the galleries, it seems
likely that the Assembly would refer to the House of Commons Rules,
under the Queensland Assembly standing order 333 (which indicates that
any topic not covered by the Queensland standing orders is to be dealt
with consistent with the UK House of Commons' Orders). Those rules do
contain a prohibition against strangers being on the floor of the chamber.
The NSW Legislative Assembly standing
orders (Attachment G) impose a blanket ban that states 'a member
shall not bring a stranger into any part of the building exclusively
set aside for the use of Members' (302).
This does not appear to be able to be overruled at the discretion of
the Speaker, who may only 'admit strangers to the area behind the Speaker's
Chair' (297).
The Victorian Legislative Assembly standing
orders (Attachment H) state that 'The Serjeant-at-Arms attending
the House shall from time to time take into his custody any stranger
whom he may see, or who may be reported to him to be in any part of
the House appropriated to the Members of this House' (28). However they
also state that during sittings, 'Unless by order of the House, no Member
of this House shall presume to bring any stranger into any part of the
House appropriated to the Members of this House' (30). The implication
appears to be that the House may order that a stranger may be brought
into an area appropriated to the Members of the House, overriding the
powers conferred on the Serjeant.
Victoria has had strangers on the floor of its chamber, including 'signers'
for the deaf, during Hearing Awareness Week, who worked in the Hansard
area of the chamber, even though they were not officers of the parliament.
On another occasion a member of the Legislative Council apologised for
having walked through the Legislative Assembly chamber on a dare.(16)
There have been occasions when strangers have been admitted through
the suspension of the standing orders, mentioned below.
The House of Assembly in South Australia has standing
orders (Attachment J) that do not give any discretion to either
Speaker or indeed the House as a whole regarding strangers. They state
simply that 'No Member may bring any stranger into any part of the House
appropriated to the Members of the House while the House or Committee
of the whole House is sitting' (71).
This could explain why Education Minister Trish White was refused permission by the Speaker to bring her newly-born
child into the chamber in 2002.(17) More bizarrely, in 1998
National Party MP Karlene Maywald got around the strangers rule by voting
from the strangers gallery,(18) a practice that might not
be possible in some parliaments (see for example standing orders
201 in the House of Representatives).
Although containing no explicit ban on Members bringing strangers onto
the floor of the chamber, the Western Australian Legislative Assembly's
standing
orders (Attachment K) allow 'only' the Speaker to admit strangers
'onto the floor of the Chamber' (40). The State also follows the UK
practice of allowing a motion without debate that strangers be ordered
to withdraw (41). Whereas some jurisdictions only envisage that strangers
may be forcibly ejected from the chamber, Western Australia gives the
Speaker the power to order strangers to be taken into custody (5254).
The Tasmanian House of Assembly standing orders (Attachment L) allow
only the Speaker to 'have the privilege of admitting Strangers to the
Body of the House' (422). However, the Tasmanian orders contain an explicit
ban on Members bringing in strangers 'into any parts of the house appropriated
to the Members of this House' (421). In practice, standing order 422
is the vehicle for allowing non-Members to occupy locations such as
public gallery-type areas and the adviser's boxes and, very occasionally,
to allow distinguished visitors into the chamber. It seems likely, however,
that the restriction on all members concerning the 'parts of the house
appropriated to the Members' would bind the Speaker.
Like most jurisdictions, the Northern Territory standing
orders (Attachment M): prevent any member
bringing in a stranger during sittings (250), allow a motion without
debate that strangers be ordered to withdraw (249), give the Speaker
control of the Speaker's gallery and the capacity to admit 'distinguished
visitors' on to 'the floor of the chamber' (248).
The ACT standing
orders are brief, referring to visitors rather than strangers (Attachment
N). They prevented any visitor being brought into those parts of the
chamber 'appropriated to the Members of the Assembly' (210). On 14 March
2003, however, they were amended on a motion put by Helen Cross (Independent),
to allow the breastfeeding of babies in the chamber.(19)
The change was achieved by excluding a breastfed infant from the meaning
of 'visitor'.
All of which brings us to the question: did breastfeeding mother Kirstie
Marshall have to leave the Victorian chamber? And would she have had
to leave the chamber if she had been somewhere other than Victoria?
The main point to recognise is that all of the provisions described
earlier are in standing orders, and as such can be suspended by the
chamber if it wishes. There is nothing to stop the parliaments mentioned
above from passing a motion along the lines, for example, that 'so much
of standing orders be suspended as would prevent a member from bringing
their infant into the chamber'. One limitation of this approach is that
it is only possible when it is in order to move such a motion. It also
assumes, of course, that such a motion would be successful. Victoria
in fact has previously suspended its standing orders to allow strangers
into its chamber. In March
2002
it suspended standing orders to the extent necessary to allow several
speakersSteve Vizard, John Schubert, Michael Crockenberger and Ann
Coxto address the house on the subject of a Population Summit held
in Victoria at that time. On 29
May 2002 it was agreed to suspend standing orders to allow an
address in the chamber by the President of Greece on 5 June 2002.
Houses can also pass resolutions (not specifically suspending standing
orders) that would then overrule something otherwise provided in the
standing orders. Finally, it is possible to amend the standing orders.
This may only be done on notice, so it could generally not be used in
a case such as that of Ms Marshall, to prevent her baby from being removed
on the day. As mentioned above, this was the approach taken in the Australian
Capital Territory's Assembly.
How else might it be arranged for a stranger to be allowed to remain
in the chamber? In Canada, it would be possible for a stranger to stay
as long as the House's attention was not drawn to their presence, and
they were not being disorderly. In Western Australia, they could be
brought into the chamber with the Speaker's approval. This would also
be the case in New Zealand; in addition, in New Zealand the Speaker
is granted the power to make more general rules, such as one regarding
breastfeeding babies. In Queensland, it would appear that, if a member
were to draw attention to a stranger in the chamber, the stranger could
stay if a motion that strangers be required to withdraw failed.
Victoria's standing orders are probably the most complex of all on
this point. It appears that a stranger can stay in the chamber 'by order
of the House'. The Victorian orders appear to empower the Serjeant to
act directly to have strangers removed (i.e. without reference to the
Speaker), but in reality the Serjeant would not do this. This would
be not least because a resolution of the House would be required before
the Serjeant could release from custody a stranger they had removed
from the chamber, a cumbersome procedure. As already noted, standing
orders can be suspended to allow visitors into the chamber.
After Ms Marshall left the Victorian chamber, there was considerable
public debate and commentary about the appropriateness of the Victorian
standing orders. The Speaker of the House, Judy Maddigan, issued a statement
on 12 March 2003 indicating that the parliamentary parties were of the
view that, rather than amending the standing orders, the decision on
the matter should be at the discretion of the Speaker. The Speaker accordingly
indicated that she would make a ruling in the next sitting period to
the effect that 'if necessary, an infant being breastfed can be brought
onto the Chamber floor'.(20) The Speaker accordingly made
the ruling on 18 March 2003. This may prove effective, though it is
debatable whether this approach would prove consistent with standing
orders, should a member take exception to it. This is because Victoria
(in contrast to Western Australia and New Zealand) vests the control
of strangers in the House rather than in the Speaker, through standing
order 30. In reality, as long as the parliamentary parties are happy
with the solution, there should be no problem.
Ultimately, the important issue will not be whether infants or children
should ever be in the parliamentary chamber. Whether chambers learn
to accept, for example, breastfeeding of babies within their precincts
may be seen as a key indicator of the extent to which parliament recognises
that parenting is something MPs have a right to do. But the main issue
will be whether parliaments are going to become more 'family-friendly'
workplaces generally. Are they going to have hours of operation, facilities,
procedures and a workplace culture that accepts that any person elected
by citizens should not face further barriers to being able to represent
those citizens effectively in the parliament? Such measures as the revision
of sitting hours have moved the parliament in this direction; other
steps such as accommodating children more fully are still to be taken.
Finally, as Victoria has shown, the admission of strangers into the
chamber may also be a vehicle to enhance parliamentary proceedings and
the democratic process. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Victoria's
experiment in having non-members address the chamber on a particular
issue was very popular. This innovation, like Queensland's regional
parliamentary sitting, E-petitions
and travelling cabinet meetings, may become more widely adopted, as
parliaments look for avenues for reform that enhance their accessibility
and maintain their relevance in a changing world. It may be that strangers
will become less and less 'strange', and more and more an essential
part of parliamentary processes.
161.(1) The
Serjeant at Arms attending this House shall take into his custody any
stranger whom he may see, or who may be reported to him to be, in any
part of the House or gallery appropriated to the Members of this House,
and also any stranger who, having been admitted into any other part
of the House or gallery, shall misconduct himself, or shall not withdraw
when strangers are directed to withdraw, while the House, or any committee
of the whole House, is sitting.
(2) The power conferred upon the Serjeant
at Arms by paragraph (1) of this order may, if the chairman so directs,
be exercised in respect of strangers present at sittings of select and
standing committees.
162. No Member
of this House shall presume to bring any stranger into any part of the
House or gallery appropriated to the Members of this House while the
House, or a committee of the whole House, is sitting.
163.(1) If
at any sitting of the House, or in a committee of the whole House, any
Member moves 'That the House sit in private' the Speaker or the chairman
shall forthwith put the question 'That the House sit in private', and
such question, though opposed, may be decided after the expiration of
the time for opposed business, but such a Motion may be made no more
than once in any sitting:
Provided that the Speaker or the chairman
may, whenever he thinks fit, order the withdrawal of those other than
Members or Officers from any part of the House.
(2) An order under paragraph (1) of
this order shall not apply to members of the House of Lords.
14. If any
Member takes notice that strangers are present, the Speaker or the Chairman
(as the case may be) may put the question "That strangers be ordered
to withdraw", without permitting any debate or amendment; provided
that the Speaker or the Chairman may order the withdrawal of strangers.
157. (2) The
Sergeant-at-Arms serves all Orders of the House upon those whom they
may concern and is entrusted with the execution of warrants is sued
by the Speaker. The Sergeant-at-Arms issues cards of admission to, and
preserves order in, the galleries, corridors, lobbies and other parts
of the House of Commons.
158. (1) Any
stranger admitted into any part of the House or gallery who misconducts
himself or herself, or does not withdraw when strangers are directed
to withdraw, while the House or any Committee of the Whole House is
sitting, shall be taken into custody by the Sergeant-at-Arms; and no
person so taken into custody shall be discharged with out the special
Order of the House.
(2) No stranger who has been committed,
by Or der of the House, to the custody of the Sergeant-at- Arms, shall
be released from such custody until he or she has paid a fee of four
dollars to the Sergeant- at-Arms.
39 Strangers may be ordered to withdraw
(1) A member may move, without notice,
that strangers be ordered to withdraw.
(2) There is no amendment to or debate
on the question.
40 Effect of order that strangers withdraw
If the House resolves that strangers
be ordered to withdraw
(a) all strangers must leave the galleries,
(b) all members of the parliamentary
press gallery must leave that gallery,
(c) official reporters and attendants
must leave the Chamber and no official report of the proceedings is
made, and
(d) broadcasting of debates ceases.
The Clerk makes a note of proceedings
for the Journals of the House.
41 Strangers interrupting proceedings
The Speaker or the Serjeant-at-Arms
may require strangers who interrupt proceedings or who otherwise misconduct
themselves to leave the galleries and the precincts of Parliament.
42 Speaker controls admission
On behalf of the House, the Speaker
controls admission to the Chamber, the lobbies and the galleries and
may from time to time issue rules setting out who may be admitted to
those areas and governing their conduct there.
Admission of Senators and strangers
312 Only the
Speaker shall have the privilege of admitting strangers into the lower
galleries, but Senators shall have the privilege of admission into the
Senators' gallery without orders. While in the Senators' gallery Senators
shall observe instructions concerning order issued by the Chair. The
Speaker may admit distinguished strangers to a seat on the floor of
the House.
Strangers admitted by Members
313 ****
Withdrawal of strangers
314 If at any
sitting of the House, or the Main Committee, any Member takes notice
that strangers are present, the Speaker or the Chair, as the case may
be, shall forthwith put the question "That strangers be ordered
to withdraw", which shall be decided without debate: Provided that
the Speaker or the Chair may, whenever he or she thinks fit, order the
withdrawal of strangers from any part of the Chamber or the room in
which the Main Committee is meeting.
No stranger admitted into Chamber or
Main Committee
315 While the
House or the Main Committee is sitting, no Member may bring any stranger
into any part of the Chamber or that part of the room where the Main
Committee is meeting which is reserved for Members.
174 Distinguished visitors
The President may, by leave of the Senate,
admit distinguished visitors to a seat on the floor of the Senate.
175 Conduct of visitors
(1) Visitors may attend, in the galleries
provided, a sitting of the Senate.
(2) A person other than a senator, a
clerk at the table or an officer attending on the Senate may not:
(a) attend a meeting of the Senate in
private session; or
(b) enter any part of the Senate chamber
reserved for senators while the Senate is sitting.
(3) The Usher of the Black Rod shall,
subject to any direction by the Senate or the President, take into custody
any person who enters any part of the chamber reserved for senators
while the Senate is sitting, or causes a disturbance in or near the
chamber, and a person so taken into custody shall be discharged out
of custody in accordance with an order of the Senate.
328. Mr Speaker
only shall have the privilege of admitting strangers to the Galleries
of the House.
329. If at
any sitting of the House, or in Committee of the Whole House, any Member
takes notice that strangers are present, Mr Speaker, or the Chairman,
as the case may be, shall forthwith put the Question that strangers
be ordered to withdraw, which Question shall be decided without debate:
But Mr Speaker or the Chairman may, whenever he thinks fit, order the
withdrawal of strangers from any part of the House.
297. The Speaker
only may admit strangers to the area behind the Speaker's Chair.
298. The Speaker
may delegate authority to the Serjeant-at-Arms to admit strangers to
the public galleries and every Member shall have the privilege of admitting
by order two strangers to those galleries.
299. If at
any sitting a Member takes notice that strangers are present the Speaker
shall forthwith put the question "That strangers be ordered to
withdraw", no debate or amendment allowed.
300. The Speaker
may at any time order the withdrawal of strangers from any part of the
House.
The Parliamentary Reporting Staff shall
not be deemed to be strangers unless the Speaker directs.
301. A person
not being a Member who interrupts the orderly conduct of the business
of the House, obstructs the approaches to the House, or causes a disturbance
within the precincts of the House, may, by direction of the Speaker,
be removed by the Serjeant-at-Arms.
302. A Member
shall not bring a stranger into any part of the building exclusively
set aside for the use of Members.
303. Strangers
shall not be admitted to any in camera proceedings.
304. The representatives
of registered media organisations shall be admitted to the Press Gallery.
The Speaker shall have control of the Gallery and rooms set aside for
use of such representatives. The House may, from time to time, direct
by resolution that any representative or representatives be admitted
to or excluded from such Gallery or rooms. This privilege does not,
except with the permission of the Speaker, extend to the use of any
visual or audio recording device within the Chamber or the precincts
of the House.
28. Strangers to be taken into custody if in parts of
the House appropriated to Members.
28. The Serjeant-at-Arms attending the
House shall from time to time take into his custody any stranger whom
he may see, or who may be reported to him to be in any part of the House
appropriated to the Members of this House, and also any stranger who,
having been admitted into any other part of the House or gallery, shall
misconduct himself, or shall not withdraw when strangers are directed
to withdraw, while the House, or any Committee of the whole House, is
sitting, and no person so taken into custody shall be discharged
out of custody without the special order of the House.
29. Withdrawal of strangers.
29. At any sitting of the House, or
in Committee of the whole House, any Member may move "That strangers
be ordered to withdraw", and such motion shall be put forthwith
without any debate or amendment: Provided that the Chair may, at any
time, order the withdrawal of strangers from any part of the House.
30. No Member to bring a stranger into parts of House
appropriate to Members.
30. Unless by order of the House, no
Member of this House shall presume to bring any stranger into any part
of the House appropriated to the Members of this House while the House,
or a Committee of the whole House, is sitting.
209. Admission of strangers to Committees.
209. When a Select Committee is examining
witnesses, strangers may be admitted or excluded at pleasure; but shall
always be excluded when the committee is deliberating.
69 Speaker's Gallery
Only the Speaker may admit strangers
into the Speaker's Gallery. Members of the Legislative Council have
privilege of admission there.
70 Withdrawal of Strangers
At the request of any Member, or at
the Speaker's own discretion, the Speaker may order all or any strangers
to withdraw.
71 No Stranger admitted to the body of the House
No Member may bring any stranger into
any part of the House appropriated to the Members of the House while
the House or Committee of the whole House is sitting.
72 Admission of Parliamentary Counsel and other advisers
Notwithstanding Standing Order 71, Parliamentary
Counsel and other advisers to a Minister on a matter presently under
discussion in the House may be seated in the area on the floor of the
House set aside for that purpose. The number of other advisers may not
exceed two at any one time. During the Committee stages of a Bill, one
of the two other advisers may be seated in a Chair allocated for that
purpose adjacent to the Minister.
Admittance of members of the Council and strangers to
the Chamber
40. Only the
Speaker may admit strangers onto the floor of the Chamber. When a division
is called, strangers will withdraw. Members of the Council will be admitted
to the Chamber in the area behind the Chair and may remain there during
divisions.
Arrest of strangers in the Chamber or gallery
52. The Speaker
may direct the taking into custody of a stranger who
(9) Is in any part of the Chamber reserved
for the members of the Assembly;
(10) Having been admitted to any part
of the Chamber or gallery, misconducts themselves or does not withdraw
when strangers are directed to withdraw;
(11) Wilfully interrupts the business
of the Assembly;
(12) Obstructs the approaches to the
Chamber; or
(13) Creates a disturbance within the
precincts of the Chamber.
Speaker to report arrest of strangers
53. When the
Speaker directs that a stranger be taken into custody under Standing
Order 52, the Speaker will report this to the Assembly as soon as practicable.
Discharge from custody
54. A person
taken into custody will not be discharged out of custody unless
(14) The Speaker dismisses a person
with or without a reprimand; or
(15) The Assembly directs and such fines
as the Assembly may direct have been paid.
Strangers not admitted to certain parts of the House.
421. No Members
of this House shall bring any Stranger into any parts of the House appropriated
to the Members of this House, while the House, or a Committee of the
Whole House, is sitting.
Strangers, how admitted to body of House.
422. The Speaker
only shall have the privilege of admitting Strangers to the Body of
the House.
Strangers may be ordered to withdraw.
423. If at
any sitting of the House, or in a Committee of the Whole House, any
Member takes notice that Strangers are present, the Speaker, or the
Chair of Committees, as the case may be, shall forthwith put the Question
that Strangers be ordered to withdraw, which Question shall be decided
without Debate: Provided that the Speaker, or the Chair, may, whenever
thought fit, order the withdrawal of Strangers from any part of the
House.
248. Seating In Galleries
Only the Speaker shall have the privilege
of admitting strangers into the Speaker's gallery. Provided seating
is available, every Member may admit a minimum of two strangers to the
public gallery each day, by written order to the Serjeant-at-Arms. The
Speaker may also admit distinguished strangers to a seat on the floor
of the Chamber.
249. Strangers to Withdraw
If at any sitting of the Assembly, or
in committee, any Member takes notice that strangers are present, the
Speaker or the Chairman, as the case may be, shall forthwith put the
question "that strangers be ordered to withdraw", which shall
be decided without debate: provided that the Speaker or the Chairman
may, whenever he thinks fit, order the withdrawal of strangers.
250. Chamber Restricted
On any day when the Assembly or a Committee
of the Whole is sitting no Member shall bring any stranger into the
Chamber.
Disorderly person may be removed
209. Where, in the opinion of the Speaker
or the Presiding Member of any committee, a person other than a Member
behaves in an offensive or disorderly manner or otherwise disrupts the
proceedings of the Assembly or any of its committees the Speaker, or
the Presiding Member of the committee, as the case may be, may require
the person to leave the Chamber and its precincts or the place of meeting
of the committee and may authorise the removal of the person.
Visitors not admitted into body of Chamber
210. While the Assembly is sitting a
Member may not bring any visitor into, nor may any visitor be present
in, any part of the Chamber appropriated to the Members of the Assembly.
(a) the word visitor in Standing Order
210 shall not apply to an infant being breastfed by a Member.
