Standing orders are the written rules of procedure which provide for the conduct of proceedings in the House including the passage of bills, rules of debate, the preservation of order, the appointment of committees, and other matters affecting the operation of the House. The Standing Orders are made under the authority of section 15 of the Constitution Act 1902 and require the approval of the Governor before they become binding and of force.
The current standing orders, adopted in May 2004, replace those adopted in 1895 to which only minor amendments had been made since then. The new standing orders are a result of an overall revision, focussing on adopting plain English and gender-neutral language, updating some procedures and incorporating certain sessional orders adopted over consecutive Parliaments.