Procedure and House Affairs committee  The House committees typically look at more long-term inquiries into public policy issues. They'll have terms of reference either directly from the House or perhaps referred from a minister and they'll be looking at issues of public policy. That's the nature of our committee wor

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Chair. It has been my privilege to be able to discuss these matters with you, and should there be anything you'd like to follow up on, I'd be only too pleased to respond. Thank you.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm not aware of any other proposals for a procedural change that might have been considered at the time. As I mentioned before, the obvious issue is if you don't have enough time to debate legislation, so you need to create more time. How you create more time is perhaps through

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  What I should have said—if I didn't—was that most decisions of the House are taken on the voices. The chair will put the question, “All those of that opinion say 'aye', and of the contrary, 'no'. I think the ayes have it”. That will be the conclusion of the decision. If the outc

Procedure and House Affairs committee  What I can say is that when our second debating chamber was first introduced, some members were skeptical. They weren't welcoming. Some of the ministers didn't like going there, so they'd send the junior ministers. That level of resistance has completely disappeared. There is a

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Inevitably, having another debating chamber means there can be greater demands on a member's time. It's a busy time for members of our Parliament. I can imagine it's the case with yours. A lot is going on on a sitting day. The committees are meeting. The House is operating. Visit

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Probably it would only be there for that day, and then it would be concluded to the consideration-in-detail stage and then referred back to the House.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It can be, yes. The Deputy Speaker or the person in the chair would then consider that matter.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Most of the decisions of the House go on the voices. If a division is called, then it will be considered immediately. Our votes are usually resolved within about 15 minutes, but that's just the count. If there is a successive division, then, of course, that would be taken immedi

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Oh, I see what you mean. Every evening we have an adjournment debate, so at 7:30 p.m. on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the days conclude at 8 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. we have what we call an automatic proposal of the question to adjourn. Because of the Standing Orders, we would co

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No. We just conclude the first division, and then, under the Standing Orders, the automatic adjournment would intervene.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Well, of course, that reference there was to the House because we don't have divisions in the Federation Chamber. The Federation Chamber will always adjourn when the House is adjourned. It typically commences half an hour after the commencement of the House and adjourns half an

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Are you asking about the Senate?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  The Senate doesn't have a second debating chamber, no.