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House of Representatives Standing Committee on Procedure
Footnotes
Chapter 1 Introduction
[1]
In 1996 and 2003. Details of the inquiries are discussed in paragraphs
1.5 and 1.6.
[2]
The Committee is currently completing its inquiry into the maintenance of
the standing and sessional orders.
[3]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Conduct of Divisions, November
1996, p. 5.
[4]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Conduct of Divisions, p. 16.
[5]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Review of the conduct of divisions,
August 2003, p. 7. The House sat for 611 hours in 2002 so these percentages
translated into 22 hours 13 minutes and 7 hours 55 minutes respectively.
[6]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Review of the conduct of divisions,
p. 7.
[7]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Review of the conduct of divisions,
p. 8-9. We are not aware of any subsequent debate on electronic voting taking
place in the House.
[8]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Learning from other parliaments:
Study Program 2006, August 2006, p. 22.
[9]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Learning from other parliaments:
Study Program 2006, pp. 22-23.
[10]
KA Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, Constitutional and Parliamentary
Information, 3rd series, no. 132, 4th Quarter 1982.
The study was undertaken for the Inter-Parliamentary Union. A questionnaire was
circulated to members of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments
and Mr Bradshaw based the report on the 43 responses received. It is perhaps
worth noting that the United Kingdom House of Commons does not have electronic
voting. Its 650 Members vote by passing through ‘Aye’ or ‘No’ lobbies on either
side of the Chamber, or by using ballot papers in the case of deferred
divisions.
[11]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 220.
[12]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 223.
[13]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 223.
[14]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 224.
[15]
The Senate, Electronic Voting, 1990, p. 8; 08/05/1990, J.18.
[16]
The Senate, Electronic Voting, p. 11.
[17]
Senate Procedure Committee, Second Report of 1990, December 1990, p.
1.
[18]
Odgers’ Australian Senate Practice, 13th ed., 2012, p.
287. However, Odgers indicates that the original paper has been updated
for the benefit of Senators.
[19]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting: Report of inspection of
equipment used in the parliaments of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the
United States of America and in the European Parliament building in Brussels,
October/November 1993, p. 19.
[20]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, pp. 31-32.
[21]
J Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, Constitutional and
Parliamentary Information, No. 186 2nd half-year 2003, pp.
40-41.
[22]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 41.
[23]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, pp. 43-45.
[24]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, pp. 46-47.
Chapter 2 Electronic voting
[1]
Global Centre for Information and Communication Technology in Parliament,
World e-Parliament Report 2012, p. 80.
[2]
If only one Member challenges the Speaker’s call, standing order 126
provides for that Member to have his or her name recorded as dissenting from
the decision.
[3]
Standing order 190(a).
[4]
Standing order 129(c).
[5]
The number of tellers appointed is at the discretion of the Chair (see House
of Representatives Practice, 6th edn, p. 277). Following a
recommendation from the Procedure Committee, a trial was conducted using
additional tellers in 2003. Although the trial successfully reduced the time
taken for divisions, it increased inaccuracies and the exercise was abandoned.
(Standing Committee on Procedure, Trial of additional tellers, 2003.)
[6]
Standing order 130(a).
[7]
House of Representatives Practice, 6th edn, p. 279.
[8]
Standing order 131(a).
[9]
Standing order 131(b).
[10]
Chamber Research Office statistics, April 2013.
[11]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Review of the conduct of divisions,
August 2003, pp. 7 and 19-20.
[12]
Chamber Research Office statistics, April 2013.
[13]
Jacob R. Straus, Electronic Voting System in the House of
Representatives: History and Usage, Congressional Research Service, June
13, 2011, p. 10 [fn 54].
[14]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting: Report of inspection of
equipment used in the parliaments of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the
United States of America and in the European Parliament building in Brussels,
October/November 1993, p. 9.
[15]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Learning from other parliaments: Study
Program 2006, August 2006, p. 23.
[16]
Straus, Electronic Voting System in the House of Representatives:
History and Usage, p. 11.
[17]
J Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, Constitutional and
Parliamentary Information, No. 186 2nd half-year 2003, pp.
44-45.
[18]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 45.
[19]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 44.
[20]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 50.
[21]
Committee of House Administration, The Electronic Voting System for the
United States House of Representatives, US Government Printing Office,
Washington, April 15 1979, p. 2.
[22]
KA Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, Constitutional and Parliamentary
Information, 3rd series, no. 132, 4th Quarter 1982,
p. 223.
[23]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 223.
[24]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 50.
[25]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 220.
[26]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 43.
[27]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Learning from other parliaments: Study
Program 2006, p. 23.
[28]
Mr Bernard Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1,
p. 4; Ms Carol Mills, Secretary, Department of Parliament Services (DPS), Submission
2, p. 2.
[29]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 45.
[30]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 51.
[31]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 21.
[32]
Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, pp.
1-2.
Chapter 3 Electronic voting in the Chamber
[1]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1,
p. 5.
[2]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1,
p. 3.
[3]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1,
p. 1.
[4]
Ms Carol Mills, Secretary, Department of Parliamentary Service (DPS), Submission
2, p. 3.
[5]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting: Report of inspection of
equipment used in the parliaments of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United
States of America and in the European Parliament building in Brussels,
October/November 1993, p. 24.
[6]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 31.
[7]
J Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, Constitutional and
Parliamentary Information, No. 186 2nd half-year 2003, p. 45.
[8]
Mr Bernard Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1,
p. 5.
[9]
Ms Carol Mills, Secretary, DPS, Submission 2, p. 2.
[10]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
3.
[11]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 25
[12]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 44.
[13]
KA Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, Constitutional and Parliamentary Information,
3rd series, no. 132, 4th Quarter 1982, p. 223.
[14]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 16.
[15]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 223.
[16]
The Senate, Electronic Voting, 1990, p. 3.
[17]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 16.
[18]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Learning from other parliaments: Study Program
2006, August 2006, p. 22.
[19]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
5.
[20]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 23.
[21]
Mr LM Barlin, Clerk of the House of Representatives, submission to the
Standing Committee on Procedure inquiry ‘Conduct of Divisions’, 1996, p. 2.
[22]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, pp. 46 and 51.
[23]
Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
5.
[24]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 23.
[25]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Review of the conduct of divisions,
August 2003, p. 7.
[26]
The Senate, Electronic Voting, p. 12.
[27]
The Senate, Electronic Voting, p. 11.
[28]
Mr Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
6.
[29]
Bradshaw, ‘Methods of Voting’, p. 224.
[30]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, pp. 25-26.
[31]
Middlebrook, ‘Voting Methods in Parliament’, p. 60.
[32]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
6.
[33]
House of Representatives, Electronic Voting, p. 30.
[34]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Conduct of Divisions, November
1996, p. 5.
[35]
Standing Committee on Procedure, Review of the conduct of divisions,
p. 7.
[36]
Ms Carol Mills, Secretary, DPS, Submission 2, p. 1.
[37]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
4.
[38]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
5. See also Ms Mills’ submission at p. 2 where she refers to the use of mobile
devices, generally, by Members.
[39]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
5.
[40]
Ms Carol Mills, Secretary, DPS, Submission 2, p. 2.
[41]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
5.
[42]
Mr B Wright, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Submission 1, p.
3.
[43]
Ms Carol Mills, Secretary, DPS, Submission 2, p. 2.
[44]
House of Commons Modernisation Committee, Voting Methods, HC779,
June 1998.
[45]
House Standing Committee on Procedure, Review of the conduct of
divisions, August 2003, p. 8; referred to at p. 6 of the Clerk’s
submission.
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