The PRESIDENT: I report the receipt of a message from the Legislative Assembly relating to a Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Procedure:

Madam PRESIDENT

The Legislative Assembly informs the Legislative Council that it has this day agreed to the following resolution:

That

(1) A joint select committee, to be known as the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Procedure, be appointed to inquire and report into reforms to parliamentary processes and procedures that are being proposed to be implemented by the Commonwealth Parliament.

(2) The committee is to consider the extent to which those proposed reforms have already been applied in New South Wales and, to the extent that they have not, to consider and recommend whether those or related reforms ought to be adopted in New South Wales, including, in particular:

(a) provisions for the Presiding Officers to be independent of the Government and, if the Presiding Officer is a member of the Government, for the Deputy Presiding Officer to be drawn from the Opposition;

(b) time limits that apply on questions and answers in Question Time in both Houses, and requirements for answers to be responsive and relevant to questions asked;

(c) the entitlement of Opposition leaders to ask supplementary questions;

(d) the time periods that are allocated to debates, members’ speeches and to the consideration of private members’ bills;

(e) the oversight of bills by committees;

(f) the number of sitting weeks; and

(g) any related matters.

(3) The committee report on the outcome of any such inquiry within four weeks of the date of this resolution being agreed to by both Houses.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders of either House, the committee consist of nine members, as follows:

(a) Six members of the Legislative Assembly of whom:

(i) three must be Government members,

(ii) two must be Opposition members,

(iii) one must be an independent member, and
(b) Three members of the Legislative Council of whom:

(i) one must be a Government member,

(ii) one must be an Opposition member; and

(iii) one must be a cross-bench member.

(5) That the members be nominated in writing to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and the Clerk of the Legislative Council by the relevant party leaders and the independent and the cross-bench members respectively. In the absence of any agreement concerning Legislative Council representation on the committee the matter is to be determined by that House.

(6) The Speaker be appointed to serve on such committee as the Legislative Assembly independent member and Chair of the committee.

(7) Notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders of either House, at any meeting of the committee any four members of the committee is to constitute a quorum, provided the committee meets as a joint committee at all times.

(8) Notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders of either House, the relevant Minister(s) be required, within two weeks of the report of the committee being tabled, to report to the Houses on what action, if any, the Government proposes to take in relation to each recommendation of the committee.

(9) The committee must meet with representatives of the Standing Orders and Procedure Committee from the Legislative Assembly and the Procedure Committee from the Legislative Council and may accept submissions from members of both Houses.

(10) A message be sent acquainting the Legislative Council of the resolution, requesting the Legislative Council to agree to a similar resolution, to appoint three of its members to serve with the members of the Legislative Assembly upon the committee, and to fix a time and place for the first meeting.

Legislative Assembly Richard Torbay
22 September 2010 Speaker