Chapter 13 - Notices of motion

76 Giving of notices

  1. Notice of motion may be given by a senator stating its terms to the Senate and delivering at the table a copy of the notice, or by delivering the copy only. A copy of a notice shall be legible, signed by the senator and show the day proposed for moving the motion.
  2. If a notice of motion is given which contains matters not relevant to each other, the President may instruct the Clerk to divide the notice into 2 or more notices.
  3. Notices shall be entered by the Clerk on the Notice Paper in the order in which they are delivered at the table.
  4. A senator may, on request, give notice for any other senator not then present, and 2 or more senators may place their names on a notice as movers.
  5. A notice of motion shall not be given after the Senate has proceeded to the business of the day, except by leave of the Senate.
  6. A senator giving notice of motion in general terms shall deliver at the table a copy of the complete motion at least one day prior to that for which the notice has been given.
  7. A notice shall consist of a clear and succinct proposed resolution or order of the Senate relating to matters within the competence of the Senate, and shall not contain statements, quotations or other matter not strictly necessary to make the proposed resolution or order intelligible.
  8. A general business notice of motion shall not exceed 200 words unless it is a motion for which a request for formality may be made in accordance with standing order 66(5).
  9. The President may delete extraneous matter from notices and may require a senator giving a notice contrary to the standing orders to reframe the notice, including to ensure that motions meet the definition of a particular category of business or are eligible for consideration as formal business.
  10. A senator may not give 2 notices of motion consecutively, if another senator has a notice to give.
  11. No notice or contingent notice shall have effect for the day on which it is given.

(amended 23 August 1990, 30 November 1999, 18 June 2020, 24 June 2021*)

77 Alteration and withdrawal of notices

  1. A senator may change the day for moving a motion by giving notice of the motion for any day subsequent to that first named, but not earlier, subject to the same rules as other notices of motion.
  2. After a notice of motion has been given, the terms of it may be altered by the senator delivering at the table an amended notice, either on the same day or any day prior to that for proceeding with the motion.
  3. A notice may be withdrawn when called on or at any time before the motion is moved.

78 Disallowance motions

  1. A senator who wishes to withdraw a notice of motion standing in the senator's name to disallow, disapprove, or declare void and of no effect any instrument made under the authority of any Act which provides for the instrument to be subject to disallowance or disapproval by either House of the Parliament, or subject to a resolution of either House of the Parliament declaring the instrument to be void and of no effect, shall give notice to the Senate of the intention to withdraw the notice of motion.
  2. Such notice of intention shall be given in the same manner as a notice of motion, shall indicate the stage in the routine of business of the Senate at which it is intended to withdraw the notice of motion, and shall not have effect for the day on which it is given; except that, if given on a day on which by force of the statute the instrument shall be deemed to be disallowed if the motion has not been withdrawn or otherwise resolved, or on a day on which by force of the statute the motion must be passed in order to be effective, such notice of intention may have effect for a later hour of that day.
  3. If another senator, at any time after the giving of such notice of intention and before the withdrawal of the notice of motion, indicates to the Senate an objection to the withdrawal of the notice of motion, that senator's name shall be put on the notice of motion, the name of the senator who wishes to withdraw the notice of motion shall be removed from it, and it shall not be withdrawn; but if no senator so objects to the withdrawal of the notice of motion, it may be withdrawn in accordance with such notice of intention.