Standing and sessional orders

Sessional orders: Council

Sessional orders are the temporary rules of the Council. They may vary the standing orders or create new rules. They only apply until the next election.

You can also download a pdf of the Council's sessional orders.

1 Interruption of debate — Messages

In Standing Order 4.07(7) for “will” substitute “may”.

 

2 Order of business

Standing Orders 5.02(2) and (3) are suspended and the following order of business will apply on Wednesday —

Messages

Formal business

Members’ statements (up to 15 members)

General business

At 12.00 noon Questions

General business (until 5.15 pm)

At 5.15 pm Statements on tabled papers and petitions (30 minutes)

Petitions (qualifying for debate) (30 minutes)

Government business (maximum 60 minutes)

At 7.15 pm Adjournment (up to 20 members)

 

3 Time limits

 

(1)   Standing Order 5.03 Time limits — Budget debate is suspended and the following will apply:

Budget debate

Total time   No limit
Main Government lead speaker  30 minutes
Main Opposition lead speaker 30 minutes
Other lead speakers   30 minutes

Remaining speakers 

 

15 minutes

 

(2)   Standing Order 5.03 Time limits — General business (Standing Order 5.07) is suspended and the following will apply:

General business (Standing Order 5.07)

Total time    90 minutes
Mover/Sponsor   20 minutes
Lead speakers  10 minutes
Remaining speakers   10 minutes

Mover/Sponsor, in reply  

 

5 minutes

 

(3)   In Standing Order 5.03 Time limits, insert the following:

Private member bills — second reading debate

Total time      No limit
Mover/Sponsor   30 minutes
Main Government lead speaker    30 minutes
Other lead speakers   30 minutes

Remaining speakers   

 

15 minutes

 

(4)   Standing Order 5.03 Time limits — Government bills — second reading debate is suspended and the following will apply:

Government bills — second reading debate

Total time No limit
Main Government lead speaker   30 minutes
Main Opposition lead speaker    30 minutes
Other lead speakers 30 minutes

Remaining speakers 

 

15 minutes

 

(5)   Standing Order 5.03 Time limits — Government business (Standing Order 5.06) is suspended and the following will apply:

Government business (Standing Order 5.06)

Total time  No limit
Main Government lead speaker     30 minutes
Main Opposition lead speaker  30 minutes
Other lead speakers    30 minutes

Remaining speakers    

 

  15 minutes

 

(6)   Standing Order 5.03 Time limits — Statements on tabled papers and petitions (Standing Order 9.10) is suspended and the following will apply:

Statements on tabled papers and petitions (Standing Order 9.10)

Total time

30 minutes

(a member with the call at the expiration of the total time will be permitted to complete their contribution)

Each member  5 minutes

 

4 Disorderly conduct — Member ordered to withdraw: application during questions without notice

Notwithstanding Standing Order 13.03(2), if —

(1)   a member is ordered to withdraw from the House under Standing Order 13.03(1) during questions without notice; and

(2)   the time for questions without notice concludes before the expiration of the suspension period —

the member may return to the Chamber at the conclusion of question time and must serve the remainder of their suspension during the next occurrence of questions without notice.

 

5 Standing Committees - Membership

Standing Order 23.05(1) is suspended to the extent necessary to allow the following committees to consist of the following number of members:

(1) Economy and Infrastructure Standing Committee will consist of nine members; and

(2) Environment and Planning Standing Committee will consist of nine members.

 

6 Production of documents — short form documents motions with debate

After Standing Order 10.01(3) insert:

(4) A motion under this Standing Order (other than a motion that imposes a sanction) may be treated by the Council as a short form documents motion with debate. The following short form documents motion with debate procedures will apply —

(a) a member must advise of the intention for the motion to be treated by the Council as a short form documents motion with debate at the time of giving notice under Standing Order 6.01;

(b) a maximum of two motions under this Sessional Order may be debated each day that general business is scheduled to occur;

(c) if additional notices above the number permitted for debate each sitting day are given for short form documents motions with debate, they will be listed on subsequent sitting days in the order that notice was given;

(d) a motion proposed to be debated under this Sessional Order will take precedence at the time prescribed for general business, as follows —

(i)  where the House has resolved that certain general business take precedence, no short form documents motions with debate will be called until a member has moved the second reading of any bills for which precedence has been ordered and it has been adjourned pursuant to Standing Order 14.06;

(ii)  where the House has not resolved any general business that will take precedence, any short form documents motions with debate will be listed as the first item/s in general business;

(e) the following time limits will apply to a short form documents motion with debate —

(i)  the mover of the motion may speak only once for up to six minutes;

(ii)  any other member may speak for up to five minutes;

(iii) the total time for consideration of the motion will be up to 20 minutes; and

(f)  at the conclusion of debate or after 20 minutes of debate (whichever occurs first), the President will put all questions necessary to dispose of the motion and any amendments.

 

The foregoing provisions, so far as they are inconsistent with the Standing Orders or practices of the Council, will have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders or practices of the Council.