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Title

Ch6 The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and officers / SOURCES OF PROCEDURAL AUTHORITY / SOURCES OF PROCEDURAL AUTHORITY / Standing orders

Database

House Practice

Date

01-05-2005

Source

House of Reps

Parl No.

41

Chapter

The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and officers

Chapter No.

Chapter 06

Page

186

Section No.

 

System Id

procedural/practcer/chapter06.29.doc


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Ch6 The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and officers / SOURCES OF PROCEDURAL AUTHORITY / SOURCES OF PROCEDURAL AUTHORITY / Standing orders



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House of Representatives                                Ch 6                                                 p 186

 

The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and officers / SOURCES OF PROCEDURAL AUTHORITY / SOURCES OF PROCEDURAL AUTHORITY

 

Standing orders

Acting under the power conferred by section 50 of the Constitution, the House has adopted comprehensive standing orders to govern the conduct of its business, and also to govern related matters such as the operation of committees and communicatio n between the Houses. The standing orders are rules the House has adopted by resolution, and they are considered to have continuing, or standing, effect. They are thus binding at all stages, unless they are suspended (the standing orders themselves contain special provision for their suspension), or unless there is unanimous agreement—that is, leave—for something to be done which would otherwise be inconsistent with the standing orders.

The House adopted temporary standing orders in 1901 which were largely based on rules and standing orders followed in the colonial legislative assemblies. These temporary standing orders were amended from time to time until 1950, when permanent standing orders were adopted. In 1963 a major revision and renumbering was agreed to, and significant changes were subsequently made on a regular basis.

In November 2003 the Procedure Committee presented a report providing and recommending a completely revised set of standing orders for the House 1 —a revision initiated by an earlier recommendation by the committee that the standing orders be ‘restructured and rewritten to make them more logical, intelligible and readable’. 2 In June 2004 the House resolved to adopt the revised standing orders, to come into effect on the first day of sitting of the 41st Parliament. 3

The standing orders:

  • reflect traditional parliamentary practice in the conduct of business, for example, in the consideration of legislation; and

  • reflect and complement constitutional provisions, for example, in the detailed rules laid down in the standing orders for the consideration of financial bills.

    • The House has often adopted sessional orders, which are temporary standing orders or temporary changes to the standing orders, in order, for example, to enable experimentation with a new procedure or arrangement before a permanent change is made to the standing orders.

    See also ‘Motions relating to the standing orders’ in Chapter on ‘Motions’.



    Standing Committee on Procedure, Revised standing orders, PP 394 (2003).



    Standing Committee on Procedure, It’s your House: Community involvement in the procedures and practices of the House of Representatives and its committees, PP 363 (1999).



    VP 2002-04/1744.