Save Search

Note: Where available, the PDF/Word icon below is provided to view the complete and fully formatted document
Previous Fragment    Next Fragment
Ch8 Order of business and the sitting day / ORDER OF BUSINESS / Ordinary order of business / Government business / NOTICES AND ORDERS OF THE DAY



Download WordDownload Word

House of Representatives                                Ch 8                                                 p 250

 

Order of business and the sitting day / ORDER OF BUSINESS / Ordinary order of business / Government business

 

Notices and orders of the day

Most of the time of the House is taken up with government notices and orders of the day. The term ‘notices’ refers to new items of business on the Notice Paper—that is, advice of motions to be moved or bills to be presented. ‘Orders of the day’ are items of business the House has ordered to be considered (or further considered) on a particular day. 1

Notices and orders of the day have precedence of each other according to the order in which the Government has determined that they should be placed on the Notice Paper. 2 As each item is disposed of (or adjourned for future consideration) the Clerk calls on the next item in the order in which it appears on the Notice Paper. Other business may be interspersed between items on the Notice Paper when, for example, appropriation and supply bills, and bills and proposals dealing with taxation, are introduced. These bills and proposals may be brought in by a Minister without notice. 3 Although they do not appear on the Notice Paper, they would normally be included in the Daily Program at a point which reflects the wishes of the Government.

After the Speaker calls on the business of the day, the Clerk announces the first notice or order of the day. As each notice is called on, the Minister or Parliamentary Secretary responsible moves the motion for which notice has been given or presents the bill for which notice of presentation has been given. Upon an order of the day being read by the Clerk the Speaker calls the next Member to speak, giving priority to the Member who previously moved the adjournment of the debate or the Member who was speaking when the debate was previously interrupted and who is thus entitled to pre-audience. In most cases debate continues on an item of business until it is finally disposed of by the House, but on some occasions a debate, particularly a lengthy debate, may be interrupted and adjourned to enable other business to be dealt with.



S.O. 2.



S.O.s 37(a), 45, 112. Standing and sessional orders have been suspended to enable several notices to be called on together and one motion being moved that the motions be agreed to; VP 1996-98/125-6.



S.O. 178.