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House of Representatives                                Ch 12                                                 p 436

Bills which the Senate may amend, in parts, and must request, in parts

In considering a bill which constitutionally it is capable of amending, the Senate may nevertheless have to request amendments in respect of certain parts of the bill. For example, the Social Security Legislation Amendment Bill (N o. 1 ) 1995, a special appropriation bill, was capable of amendment by the Senate but not so as to increase any proposed charge or burden on the people. In the Senate the bill was reported with amendments and a request. ¹

In such instances the message returning the bill to the House indicates a request for amendment, set out in a schedule, and informs the House that the amendments, set out in another schedule, have been made to the bill. As, in such a case, the bill, having been reported with a request, has not proceeded to the third reading stage in the Senate, the House can consider only the request. Although the detail of the Senate amendments has been included in the material circulated to Members, such amendments are not in fact considered unless and until the bill is eventually returned to the House after the resolution of the request.

If the requested amendment is to be made, a Governor-General’s message recommending an appropriation for the purposes of the amendment is announced to the House, the requested amendment made ² and the Senate informed accordingly by message, whereupon the bill is read a third time. ³ The bill is returned to the House indicating that the Senate has agreed to the bill as amended by the House at the request of the Senate and the House’s agreement to further amendments is sought and may be obtained. ⁴

J 1993-95/3723-4.

E.g. VP 1993-95/2358-9; VP 1998-2001/684-5.

E.g. J 1993-95/3783.

E.g. VP 1993-95/2381-2.