Lifecycle of Parliamentary Documents: Australia
Australian Constitution, Parliamentary Service Act 1999 (Cth),[1] Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 (Cth),[2] the Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Act 1946 (Cth),[3] the Archives Act 1983 (Cth),[4] and the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).[5]
The drafting and publication of legislation is governed by the Parliamentary Counsel Act 1970 (Cth),[6] along with the Legislation Act 2003 (Cth).[7]
2. Standing Orders and Resolutions
The standing orders and resolutions of each chamber of Parliament contain various procedural rules related to different types of records and documents produced within or for the Parliament. The Senate and the House have the power to make such rules under section 50 of the Constitution.
a. House of Representatives
House standing orders related to records and documents include the following:[8]
- SO 27, requiring that the Clerk keep and sign the official record of the proceedings of the House, which must contain the proceedings and decisions of the House and attendance of members.
- SO 28, providing that "[u]nder the direction of the Speaker, the Clerk shall have custody of the Votes and Proceedings, records, and all documents presented to the House."
- SO 199, providing for documents to be presented to the House by ministers or by the Speaker "pursuant to statute or otherwise."
- SO 200, providing that the House may also order that documents be presented.
- SO 208, providing that "[a]ll documents presented to the House are authorised for publication."
- SO 208(d), requiring that the terms of petitions be printed in Hansard.
- SO 209(c), requiring that ministerial responses to petitions also be printed in Hansard and published on the House's website.
- SO 219, requiring that a Publications Committee be appointed “to consider all documents presented to the House which have not been made a Parliamentary Paper by either House of
- ↑ Parliamentary Service Act 1999 (Cth), https://perma.cc/N56Q-RLRL.
- ↑ Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 (Cth), https://perma.cc/QN2T-JW2Z2.
- ↑ Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Act 1946 (Cth), https://perma.cc/2Q4F-2UMY.
- ↑ Archives Act 1983 (Cth), https://perma.cc/98MG-Q9HM.
- ↑ Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), https://perma.cc/5GB3-AYKL.
- ↑ Parliamentary Counsel Act 1970 (Cth), https://perma.cc/Q3UF-9V4V.
- ↑ Legislation Act 2003 (Cth), https://perma.cc/4AP5-E57P.
- ↑ House of Representatives Standing Orders (as at 19 September 2019), https://perma.cc/ZL99-2K7S.
