In one of the first acts of the 47th Parliament, the Government proposed a series of changes to the House Standing Orders. These (currently 270) Standing Orders are rules which govern the operation and conduct of House business, as provided for in The Constitution (section 50). House Practice explains that ‘Standing orders are made and amended by motion moved on notice in the usual way’. While Standing Orders can be amended any time by passing a motion, it’s become the custom of incoming governments to review Standing Orders in the new parliament. This Flagpost article outlines the recent changes to Standing Orders and their various impacts. Read more...
Following the 21 May 2022 federal election, the newly appointed Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, stated that the new Parliament would first meet on 26 July 2022—106 days after the previous Parliament was dissolved. The opening of a new Parliament proceeds according to constitutional requirements, House of Representatives and Senate standing orders and resolutions, and long-standing ceremonial practices. This Flagpost article outlines and contextualises these aspects prior to the new parliament opening later this month. Read more...
Being on mute, an interrupting pet, interesting camera angles, items in the background and technical issues are just a few examples of what parliamentarians have become accustomed to in order to continue business as usual during the coronavirus pandemic. This FlagPost uses a procedural lens to understand how remote participation was implemented and its lasting impact. Read more...
The newly elected crossbench has had their personal employee allocations reduced from 4 to 1, based on recent media reporting. The Government argues that the additional staffing for the crossbenchers is unfair to other backbenchers and a signal of budgetary restraint. This flagpost discusses the regulation and history of this staffing allocation. Read more...
The majority of decisions by Members of the House of Representatives in the Australian parliament are usually made via an opaque but efficient voting process known as a vote on the voices. Read more...
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