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Ch16 Non-government business / MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE / Criteria for determining a matter in order / Matter must be definite



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House of Representatives                                Ch 16                                                 p 578

 

Non-government business / MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE / Criteria for determining a matter in order

 

Matter must be definite

The requirements of the House are that a proposed matter must be definite—that is, single, specific and precise in its wording. Prior to 1952 formal adjournment motions had been ruled out of order on the grounds that they were not definite. 1 Nowadays a Member would be asked to amend a proposed matter seen as too general or indefinite, before acceptance by the Speaker. The modern view is that the intent and spirit of the standing order is contravened by including diverse topics in the matter, the underlying reasons being:

  • that notice of the discussion is limited and, therefore, it is impracticable to prepare for a wide-ranging debate; and
  • the time limit for discussion is strictly limited and does not thereby allow for an adequate discussion of several disparate matters.


  • VP 1932-34/938 (the motion also anticipated an order of the day); VP 1943-44/101; H.R. Deb. (17.3.44) 1562.