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Ch8 Order of business and the sitting day / SITTINGS / Length of sittings



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House of Representatives                                Ch 8                                                 p 238

 

Order of business and the sitting day / SITTINGS

 

Length of sittings

The shorte st sitting of the House was on 14 March 1928 when the House adjourned one minute after it met to enable Members to attend functions in honour of the eminent aviator, Captain Hinkler. 1 On 24 October 2002 the House adjourned 2 minutes after it met, to enable Members to attend a national memorial service in the Great Hall for the victims of terrorist attacks in Bali. 2

The longest sitting of the House was from 11 a.m. on Friday, 18 January 1918 until 6.22 p.m. on Friday, 25 January 1918, a period of 175 hours 22 minutes. This period, however, included a suspension of the sitting from 3.09 a.m. on 19 January until 3 p.m. on 25 January. 3 In a sitting of the House that lasted from 2.30 p.m. on Thursday, 16 November 1905 until 12.05 p.m. on Monday, 20 November 1905 (the sitting was suspended over the Sunday) the House sat for a continuous period of 57 hours 30 minutes prior to the suspension at midnight on the Saturday. 4

On the occasion of one lengthy sitting Hansard staff were discharged during the adjournment debate and Members forwarded precis of their remarks for inclusion in Hansard. 5 Modern practice allowing proceedings to be recorded would mean that such action would no longer be necessary.



VP 1926-28/509; H.R. Deb. (14.3.28) 3791.



VP 2002-2004/535.



VP 1917-19/169-72.



VP 1905/167-70.



H.R. Deb. (6-8.12.33) 5898.