PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

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Quorums—SO 29 and 30

That, notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders, for the remainder of the current session standing orders 29 and 30 be varied to read as follows:

29. Quorum at commencement of sitting

(1) If there is no quorum present when the Chair is taken at the time appointed for the meeting of the House, the bells will again ring for five minutes. If there is still no quorum present the President will adjourn the House until a later hour of the day or the next sitting day.

(2) A Member who enters the chamber at or after the time appointed for the meeting of the Council may not withdraw until a quorum is formed or the House is adjourned.

(3) When the House is adjourned for lack of a quorum, the names of the members present will be entered in the Minutes of Proceedings.

30. Quorum during sitting

(1) If it appears, on the report of a division of the House by the tellers, that a quorum is not present, the President will adjourn the House until a later hour of the day or the next sitting day. No decision of the House will be considered to have been reached by that division.

(2) When the Chair of Committees informs the President that a quorum is not present in committee, the bells will ring for five minutes. The President will then count the House, and if a quorum is still not present, will adjourn the House until a later hour of the day or the next sitting day. However, if a quorum is then present, the President will leave the Chair and the committee resume.
      (3) If a member draws attention to the lack of a quorum, the bells will be rung until a quorum is formed but for no longer than five minutes. If after five minutes a quorum is not present, the President will adjourn the House until a later hour of the day or the next sitting day.

      (4) When the attention of the President, or the Chair of Committees, has been called to the absence of a quorum, a member may not leave until the House or committee has been counted.

      (5) The doors of the House will be unlocked while the President is counting the House.

      (6) When the House has adjourned for lack of a quorum the names of the members present will be entered in the Minutes of Proceedings.


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