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Ch17 Documents / PETITIONS / Petitions in the House of Representatives / Petitions from unusual sources



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House of Representatives                                Ch 17                                                 p 619

 

Documents / PETITIONS / Petitions in the House of Representatives

 

Petitions from unusual sources

The standing orders specifically provide for petitions from a company or corporation. 1 Petitions from individual citizens 2 and from minors 3 may be received. Receipt by the House of petitions from Australian citizens abroad is permitted, but the House does not normally receive petitions from foreign citizens abroad. 4 An exception was a petition signed by citizens of the United States of America which was presented by a Member by leave of the House. 5 Petitions sent directly to the Speaker from foreign citizens abroad have normally been referred to the relevant Minister for information and the petitioners have been informed.

In 1962 a Member presented a petition from certain Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Council praying that the House debate and redress the grievances set out in a remonstrance earlier made by the Council. 6 In 1975 a petition was presented from the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly praying that the recommendations of the Parliament’s Joint Committee on the Northern Territory on the transfer of executive powers and administrative functions to the Territory be implemented. 7



S.O. 205(h); e.g. petition from Roche Products Pty Ltd, VP 1983-84/886.



VP 1970-72/475; H.R. Deb. (9.8.99) 8103.



VP 1970-72/681; see also S. Deb. (14.5.68) 943.



This practice reflects House of Commons practice, see May , 23rd edn, p. 936.



VP 1970-72/357.



VP 1962-63/203. A remonstrance is a document in which grievances are stated and remedial action is sought. The Speaker later announced that he had received the remonstrance and that it had been placed in the Parliamentary Library for the information of Members, H.R. Deb. (29.8.62) 793; and see H.R. Deb. (23.8.62) 656-7. On 28 October 1996 the Speaker reported receiving a remonstrance from the N. T. Legislative Assembly praying that the Commonwealth Parliament not proceed with the Euthanasia Laws Bill 1996. The Speaker also reported a letter and an accompanying resolution adopted by the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly on the same matter. VP 1996-98/714. The documents were included in the records of the House and copies circulated in the Chamber. The texts of the documents (also received and reported by  the President of the Senate) were incorporated in the Senate Hansard.



VP 1974-75/1085.