When does the Legislative Assembly next meet?
The next meeting of the Legislative Assembly is on Wednesday 1 June 2011 with a second meeting scheduled in June for the 22nd. The Notice Paper for the 1 June sitting can be found on www.info.gov.nf under the heading Assembly Matters and in The Norfolk Islander and in Norfolk Online.
Assembly Procedure
Responding to last week’s request for more background on Assembly procedure this week we will talk about Committees and the role they play in the parliamentary process. Committees are established both by the standing orders or by resolution of the House.
Norfolk’s Standing Orders provide for two types of committees. Standing Committees and Select Committees. Standing Committees are appointed for the life of a Parliament and have a continuing role. Select Committees are formed for a specific purpose and cease to exist when they have presented their final reports. This week we will talk about our Standing Committees.
Standing Committees
Our standing orders currently provide:
17. A Standing Orders Committee to consist of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and 3 other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to maintain a continuing surveillance of the practices and procedures of the House with a view to making recommendations which would enhance the operational efficiency of the House.
18. A Committee of Privileges shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to –
a) inquire into and report upon complaints of breach of privilege which may be referred to it by the House; and
b) inquire into and report upon any matter referred to it under the Legislative Assembly (Register of Members’ Interests) Act 2005.
The Committee to consist of three permanent members and an alternate member to act when a permanent member is unavailable due to illness; is off Island; or nominates to be absent due to a conflict of interest or some other reason
19. A House Committee to consist of the Speaker and 2 other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to advise the Speaker on the facilities to be made available to Members and staff within the areas allocated to the House.
20. A Business Committee to consist of the Speaker and 2 other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to arrange the order of business for the House.
20A. An Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee, to consider Bills and subordinate legislation referred to it by the House shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House. The Committee to consist of three permanent members and an alternate member to act when a permanent member is unavailable due to illness; is off Island; or nominates to be absent due to a conflict of interest or some other reason.
20B. .A Public Accounts and Estimates Committee to consist of the Speaker (ex officio) and three other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to scrutinise and assess the financial administration of the Public Sector, and to promote reform where necessary.
The Committee shall –
1) examine -
a) the accounts of the receipts and expenditure of Norfolk Island;
b) the financial affairs of authorities of Norfolk Island;
c) all reports of the Government Auditor which have been laid before the Assembly; and
d) such other relevant matters as the Committee deems relevant
2) Report to the Assembly with such comments as it thinks fit, any items or matters in those accounts, statements and reports, or any circumstances connected with them, to which the Committee is of the opinion that the attention of the Assembly should be directed
3) Inquire into any question in connection with the public accounts which is referred to it by the Assembly and to report to the Assembly on that question. The Committee may consider any other matter relevant to its inquiry; shall have the power to send for persons, papers and records; and may invite submissions from members of the public
21. Other standing committees may be appointed from time to time to consider and report on such subjects as may be decided by the House.
22. All standing committee shall be appointed on motion and, except as provided in standing order 17, 18, 19 or 20 or unless otherwise ordered, shall consist of a minimum of 3 Members to be nominated: Provided that if more Members are nominated than are required the House shall proceed to ballot.
If there are specific matters of parliamentary procedure that readers would like me to discuss in Your Parliament Your Voice do send me an email with your query to speaker@assembly.gov.nf.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 27 May 2011 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com
The next meeting of the Legislative Assembly is on Wednesday 1 June 2011 with a second meeting scheduled in June for the 22nd. The Notice Paper for the 1 June sitting can be found on www.info.gov.nf under the heading Assembly Matters and in The Norfolk Islander and in Norfolk Online.
Assembly Procedure
Responding to last week’s request for more background on Assembly procedure this week we will talk about Committees and the role they play in the parliamentary process. Committees are established both by the standing orders or by resolution of the House.
Norfolk’s Standing Orders provide for two types of committees. Standing Committees and Select Committees. Standing Committees are appointed for the life of a Parliament and have a continuing role. Select Committees are formed for a specific purpose and cease to exist when they have presented their final reports. This week we will talk about our Standing Committees.
Standing Committees
Our standing orders currently provide:
17. A Standing Orders Committee to consist of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and 3 other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to maintain a continuing surveillance of the practices and procedures of the House with a view to making recommendations which would enhance the operational efficiency of the House.
18. A Committee of Privileges shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to –
a) inquire into and report upon complaints of breach of privilege which may be referred to it by the House; and
b) inquire into and report upon any matter referred to it under the Legislative Assembly (Register of Members’ Interests) Act 2005.
The Committee to consist of three permanent members and an alternate member to act when a permanent member is unavailable due to illness; is off Island; or nominates to be absent due to a conflict of interest or some other reason
19. A House Committee to consist of the Speaker and 2 other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to advise the Speaker on the facilities to be made available to Members and staff within the areas allocated to the House.
20. A Business Committee to consist of the Speaker and 2 other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to arrange the order of business for the House.
20A. An Impact of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee, to consider Bills and subordinate legislation referred to it by the House shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House. The Committee to consist of three permanent members and an alternate member to act when a permanent member is unavailable due to illness; is off Island; or nominates to be absent due to a conflict of interest or some other reason.
20B. .A Public Accounts and Estimates Committee to consist of the Speaker (ex officio) and three other Members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the opening of a new House to scrutinise and assess the financial administration of the Public Sector, and to promote reform where necessary.
The Committee shall –
1) examine -
a) the accounts of the receipts and expenditure of Norfolk Island;
b) the financial affairs of authorities of Norfolk Island;
c) all reports of the Government Auditor which have been laid before the Assembly; and
d) such other relevant matters as the Committee deems relevant
2) Report to the Assembly with such comments as it thinks fit, any items or matters in those accounts, statements and reports, or any circumstances connected with them, to which the Committee is of the opinion that the attention of the Assembly should be directed
3) Inquire into any question in connection with the public accounts which is referred to it by the Assembly and to report to the Assembly on that question. The Committee may consider any other matter relevant to its inquiry; shall have the power to send for persons, papers and records; and may invite submissions from members of the public
21. Other standing committees may be appointed from time to time to consider and report on such subjects as may be decided by the House.
22. All standing committee shall be appointed on motion and, except as provided in standing order 17, 18, 19 or 20 or unless otherwise ordered, shall consist of a minimum of 3 Members to be nominated: Provided that if more Members are nominated than are required the House shall proceed to ballot.
If there are specific matters of parliamentary procedure that readers would like me to discuss in Your Parliament Your Voice do send me an email with your query to speaker@assembly.gov.nf.
Issued from the Office of the Speaker on 27 May 2011 and posted on the blog site http://yourparliamentyourvoice.blogspot.com
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