House of Representatives Committees

Appendix 1 - Parallel text of sessional orders and superseded standing orders

Superseded standing orders
Current sessional orders
1 Maximum speaking times

Committee and delegation reports on Mondays

Each Member

(standing orders 39 and 40)

10 mins maximum, as allotted by the Selection Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
1 Maximum speaking times

Committee and delegation reports on Mondays

in the House  
       Each Member 10 mins maximum, as allotted by the Selection Committee
in the Main Committee  
       Each Member 10 mins

(standing orders 39, 40, 192(b))

Dissent motion

Whole debate 30 mins
       Mover 10 mins
       Seconder 5 mins
       Member next speaking 10 mins
       Any other Member 5 mins

(standing order 87)

39 Presentation of reports
(a) Members can present reports of committees or delegations:
   (i) as agreed by the Selection Committee, following prayers on Mondays; or
   (ii) at any time when other business is not before the House.

(b) Members can make statements in relation to these reports:
   (i) during the special set period on Mondays (standing order 34); the Selection      Committee shall set time limits for statements, of not more than 10 minutes for each Member; or
   (ii) at any other time, by leave of the House.

(c) The Member presenting a report may move without notice, a specific motion in relation   to the report. Debate on the question shall be adjourned to a future day.

39 Presentation of reports
(a) Members can present reports of committees or delegations:
   (i) as agreed by the Selection Committee, following prayers on Mondays; or
   (ii) at any time when other business is not before the House.

(b) Members can make statements in relation to these reports:
   (i) during the special set period on Mondays (standing order 34); the Selection Committee shall set time limits for statements, of not more than 10 minutes for each Member; or
   (ii) at any other time, by leave of the House.

(c) The Member presenting a report may move without notice, a specific motion in relation to the report. When a report has been presented on Monday under paragraph (a)(i) debate on the question shall be adjourned to a later hour and a motion may be moved that the report be referred to the Main Committee. In other cases debate shall be adjourned to a future day.

40 Resumption of debate on reports
(a) After presentation of reports on Mondays proceedings may be resumed on motions moved in relation to committee and delegation reports on an earlier day.

(b) The Selection Committee shall set:
   (i) the order in which motions are to be considered;
   (ii) time limits for the whole debate; and
   (iii) time limits for each Member speaking of not more than 10 minutes.

40 Resumption of debate on reports
(a) After presentation of reports on Mondays proceedings may be resumed on motions in relation to committee and delegation reports moved on an earlier day.

(b) For debate in accordance with paragraph (a) the Selection Committee shall set:
   (i) the order in which motions are to be considered;
   (ii) time limits for the whole debate; and
   (iii) time limits for each Member speaking, of not more than 10 minutes.

(c) During the period provided by standing order 192 proceedings may be resumed in the Main Committee on motions in relation to committee and delegation reports referred that day or on an earlier day.

77 Anticipating discussion
A Member may not anticipate the discussion of a subject which appears on the Notice Paper. In determining whether a discussion is out of order the Speaker must consider the probability of the anticipated matter being brought before the House within a reasonable time
77 Anticipating discussion
During a debate, a Member may not anticipate the discussion of a subject listed on the Notice Paper and expected to be debated on the same or next sitting day. In determining whether a discussion is out of order the Speaker should not prevent incidental reference to a subject.
100 Rules for questions
(f) Questions must not anticipate discussion on an order of the day or other matter.
100 Rules for questions
100(f) suspended

187 Maintenance of order
(a) In the Main Committee the Deputy Speaker has the same responsibility for the preservation of order as the Speaker has in the House.

(b) If sudden disorder occurs in the Committee the Deputy Speaker may, or on motion moved without notice by any Member must, suspend or adjourn the sitting immediately. If the sitting is adjourned, any business under discussion and not disposed of at the time of the adjournment shall be set down on the Notice Paper for the next sitting.

(c) Following the suspension or adjournment the Deputy Speaker must report the disorder to the House. Any subsequent action against a Member under standing order 94 (sanctions against disorderly conduct) may only be taken in the House.

187 Maintenance of order
(a) In the Main Committee the Deputy Speaker has the same responsibility for the preservation of order as the Speaker has in the House.

(b) If disorder occurs in the Committee, the Deputy Speaker:
   (i) may direct the Member or Members concerned to leave the room for a period of 15 minutes [standing order 94(e) (exclusion from Chamber, etc.) does not apply]; or
   (ii) may, or on motion moved without notice by any Member must, suspend or adjourn the sitting. If the sitting is adjourned, any business under discussion and not disposed of at the time of the adjournment shall be set down on the Notice Paper for the next sitting.

(c) Following a suspension or adjournment of the Committee or a refusal of a Member to leave when so directed under paragraph (b), the Deputy Speaker must report the disorder to the House.

(d) The Deputy Speaker may report the conduct of a Member whether or not action has been taken under paragraph (b).

(e) Any subsequent action against a Member under standing order 94 (sanctions against disorderly conduct) may only be taken in the House.

190 General rules for suspensions and adjournments of the Main Committee
The following general rules apply to meetings of the Main Committee:
(a) The Deputy Speaker must suspend proceedings in the Committee to enable Members to attend divisions in the House.

(b) If a quorum is not present the Deputy Speaker must immediately suspend proceedings until a stated time, or adjourn the Committee.

(c) If the House adjourns, the Deputy Speaker must interrupt the business before the Committee and immediately adjourn the Committee.

(d) The Committee need not adjourn between items of business, nor during a suspension of the House.

(e) The Committee shall stand adjourned on completion of all matters referred to it, or may be adjourned on motion moved without notice by any Member—

     That the Committee do now adjourn.

(f) No amendment may be moved to the question

190 General rules for suspensions and adjournments of the Main Committee
The following general rules apply to meetings of the Main Committee:
(a) The Deputy Speaker must suspend proceedings in the Committee to enable Members to attend divisions in the House.

(b) If a quorum is not present the Deputy Speaker must immediately suspend proceedings until a stated time, or adjourn the Committee.

(c) If the House adjourns, the Deputy Speaker must interrupt the business before the Committee and immediately adjourn the Committee.

(d) The Committee need not adjourn between items of business, nor during a suspension of the House.

(e) The Committee shall stand adjourned at 6 pm, unless otherwise ordered, when the committee meets on Mondays in accordance with standing order 192(b), or on completion of all matters referred to it, or may be adjourned on motion moved without notice by any Member—

    That the Committee do now adjourn.

(f) No amendment may be moved to the question.

192 Main Committee’s order of business
If the Committee meets on a Wednesday or Thursday the normal order of business is set out in figure 4.

 

 

Figure 4. Main Committee order of business

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

 

 

 

 

9.40 am

3 min statements

9.40 am

3 min statements

approx 10.00 am

 

 

 

Government

business and/or

committee and

delegation reports

approx 10.00 am

 

 

 

Government

business and/or

committee and

delegation reports

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12.30 pm

Adjournment

 

 

debate

1.00 pm

 

approx 1.00 pm

 

 

 

The sitting times of the Main Committee are set by the Deputy Speaker and are subject to change. Additional sittings may be scheduled if required. The sitting on Thursday may extend until 1.30 pm. Adjournment debates can occur on days other than Thursdays by agreement between the whips.

192 Main Committee’s order of business
(a) If the Committee meets on a Wednesday or Thursday the normal order of business is set out in figure 4.

(b) On sitting Mondays the Committee shall meet from 4 pm to 6 pm if required to consider orders of the day relating to committee and delegation reports in accordance with standing order 40 (resumption of debate on reports).


Figure 4. Main Committee order of business

 

MONDAY

 

WEDNESDAY

 

THURSDAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.30 am

3 min statements

9.30 am

3 min statements

 

 

approx 10.00 am

 

 

 

Government

business and/or

committee and

delegation

 reports

approx 10.00 am

 

 

 

Government

business and/or

committee and

delegation

 reports

 

 

 

 

Adjournment

debate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.00 pm

 

Committee and

delegation reports

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

approx 6.00 pm

 

approx 1.00 pm

 

approx 1.00 pm

 

The sitting times of the Main Committee are set by the Deputy Speaker and are subject to change. Additional sittings may be scheduled if required. Adjournment debates can occur on days other than Thursdays by agreement between the whips.

193 Members’ three minute statements
If the Main Committee meets before 10 am the first item of business shall be statements by Members. The Deputy Speaker may call a Member, including a Parliamentary Secretary but not a Minister, to make a statement for no longer than three minutes. The period for Members’ statements may continue for 18 minutes, but must finish by 10 am.
193 Members’ three minute statements
If the Main Committee meets before 10 am the first item of business shall be statements by Members. The Deputy Speaker may call a Member, including a Parliamentary Secretary but not a Minister, to make a statement for no longer than three minutes. The period for Members’ statements may continue for 30 minutes, irrespective of suspensions for divisions in the House.

 

 


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