Legislative Council Procedure Committee
The Procedure Committee is a current standing committee of the Legislative Council, established 5 May 2004, re-established 10 May 2011.
The Procedure Committee has three functions under Standing Order 205:
(a) consider on its own initiative any amendments to the standing orders,
(b) propose to the House changes in practice and procedures of the House, and
(c) consider any matter relating to the procedures referred to it by the House or the President.
Inquiries (click to show)
During the current parliament, the following inquiries have been undertaken by the committee:
Records of 4 earlier inquiries conducted by the committee are also available online.
Submissions invited (click to show)
The committee is not actively receiving submissions at present. Past submissions may be available under the relevant inquiry.
Reports and government responses (click to show)
Members (click to show)
| Position |
|---|
| Chair: | The Hon. Don HARWIN (Lib, LC Member). |
| Members: | The Hon. Robert BORSAK (Shooters and Fishers Party, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Amanda FAZIO (ALP, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Luke FOLEY (ALP, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Michael GALLACHER (Lib, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Jenny GARDINER (Nat, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Duncan GAY (Nat, LC Member) |
| | Dr John KAYE (The Greens, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Sarah MITCHELL (Nat, LC Member) |
| | Reverend the Hon. Fred NILE (CDP, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Dr Peter PHELPS (Lib, LC Member) |
| | The Hon. Adam SEARLE (ALP, LC Member) |
Contact (click to show)
Terms of Reference establishing Committee (click to show)
Minutes of Proceedings No. 6, 10 May 2011, item 5.
Standing Order 205 of the Legislative Council provides for the appointment of a Procedure Committee at the commencement of each Parliament. The Standing Orders of the Legislative Council were adopted by the House on 5 May 2004. (Minutes No 52, Item 19, page 576.) Standing Order 205 provides that:
(1) A Procedure Committee will be appointed at the commencement of each Parliament.
(2) The committee may:
(a) consider on its own initiative any amendments to the standing orders,
(b) propose to the House changes in practice and procedures of the House, and
(c) consider any matter relating to the procedures referred to it by the House or the President.
(3) The President, Deputy President, Leader of the Government and Leader of the Opposition are to be among the members of the committee.
(4) Members may be appointed to the committee as substitutes for a member of the committee, by notice in writing to the Chair of the committee.
(5) Nominations may be made by the Leader of the Government, the Leader of the Opposition, the Government and Opposition Whips, and Cross Bench Members, as applicable.
On 10 May 2011 the following resolution was agreed to by the House:
Mr Gay moved, according to notice, as by leave amended:
1. That a Procedure Committee be appointed, consisting of the following members: the President, the Deputy President, the Assistant President, the Leader of the Government, the Deputy Leader of the Government, the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the Government Whip, the Opposition Whip, one other Government member, and two other Cross Bench members.
2. That the following matters, identified in the report of the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Procedure in its October 2010 report as requiring further review by the Procedure Committee in this Parliament, be referred to the Committee for inquiry and report:
(a) the merits of the Legislative Council trialling a Selection or Business Committee,
(b) the merits of various options for reforming the current system of managing private members' business, including the option of a Selection or Business Committee,
(c) the merits of further reforms to the operation of Question Time, including to the relevance of answers,
(d) mechanisms to enable the provision of a right of reply to ministerial statements to be extended to a representative of the cross bench,
(e) procedures for the more regular referral of bills to the Legislative Council's standing committees, including the potential impact of any such change,
(f) the merits of the Legislative Council trialling new arrangements for debate on committee reports, including the option of trialling a Selection or Business Committee to allocate debate times,
(g) the merits of the Legislative Council passing a resolution concerning, the meaning of appropriations bills "for the ordinary annual services of the Government".
3. That the Committee inquire into and report on the sitting days and routine of business for the Legislative Council for the spring 2011 sitting period.
4. That the Committee report on paragraph 2 (b) and paragraph 3 by Friday 17 June 2011.
Question put and passed.