LA Votes and Proceedings (22/09/10) 2317-2319; (23/09/10) 2329-2331, LC Minutes (23/09/10) 2080-2083.
Terms of reference
(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 12 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) Six members of the Legislative Council of whom:
(i) one must be a Government member,
(ii) two must be an Opposition members;
(iii) two must be cross-bench members; and
(iv) one must be the President who is to be an ex official 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 be a Joint Chair of the committee.
(7) That the President be a Joint Chair of the committee.
(8) 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.
(9) 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.
(10) 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.
(11) 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.
These terms of reference were referred to the Committee by resolution of the
House.