Mr REITH (Leader of the House) (5:26 PM) —I move:

Notice of motion—how given

133 Notice of motion shall be given by a Member by—

The notice must be signed by the Member and seconder and show the day proposed for moving the motion.

A notice of motion given by a Member in accordance with paragraph (a) which expresses a censure of, or want of confidence in the Government, or a censure of any Member, shall be reported to the House by the Clerk at the first convenient opportunity.

Questions to Ministers

142 Questions may be put to a Minister relating to public affairs with which the Minister is officially connected, to proceedings pending in the House, or to any matter of administration for which the Minister is responsible. Questions may be asked orally without notice for immediate reply or in writing on notice and placed on the Notice Paper for written reply.

Question on notice

148 A Member shall submit a question on notice to the Clerk in sufficient time, in the opinion of the Speaker, to enable it to be published in the next issue of the Notice Paper. The question shall be in writing and signed by the Member.

Initiation of bills

211 (a) A bill (unless received from the Senate) shall be initiated by a motion for leave to bring in a bill specifying its title, by an order of the House, on the calling on of a notice of presentation, or in accordance with the provisions of standing order 291.

Notice of presentation—how given

(b) Notice of intention to present a bill shall be given by a Member by either:

(i) delivering its terms in writing to the Clerk at the Table, or

(ii) stating its terms to the House during the period of Members' statements made under standing order 106A and delivering its terms in writing to the Clerk at the Table.

Form of

(c) A notice of intention to present a bill shall specify its title and the day for presentation, and shall be signed by the Member and, at least, one other Member.

Application of standing orders

The standing orders shall, to the necessary extent, be applied and read as if a notice of presentation were a notice of motion.

These proposed amendments to the standing orders are intended to minimise impediments in the existing standing orders to the use of electronic means like email for transacting certain business of the House. Members are making increasing use of information technology in their parliamentary work and it would be unfortunate if they could not benefit from its convenience and efficiency because of unnecessary restrictions imposed by the standing orders. Expressions like `fairly written' and `fair copy' are anachronisms in an age of word processors, electronic mail and the Internet.

Four amendments are proposed. Standing order 133 is reworded to facilitate the electronic lodgment of notices of motion. Standing order 142 is amplified to clarify the manner in which members may put questions to ministers; that is, orally or on notice. Standing order 148 is reworded to facilitate the electronic lodgment of questions on notice. Standing order 211 is reworded to facilitate the electronic lodgement of notices of intention to present bills.

It is appropriate that the House adopt these amendments as it enters a new century. I do not wish to add to the motion other than to thank members of the Procedure Committee who have looked at these issues and made recommendations. This motion and the amendments we propose follow upon the recommendations of the committee. In general terms, the government has given much priority and significant resources to bringing the new technologies available to improve access to all sorts of government services and it is appropriate that we make best use of these facilities that are now available to us through the new technologies. I thank the members of the committee. I should also say that the government has, all through its period, been very open to suggestions of reforms to the standing orders. We think this is for the convenience of the House and the more efficient operation of the House. I commend the motion to all members.