Chapter 6 - Senators
Places in chamber
Each senator has a
designated seat in the Senate chamber, with a desk.
Standing order 48 prescribes rules
relating to senators’ seating. The front seats on the right of the President
are reserved for ministers, while the front seats on the left of the President
are reserved for leaders of parties and senators designated as having
responsibility for particular matters. In relation to seats other than front
seats, senators are entitled to retain the seats occupied by them at the time
of their taking their seats for the first time after their election so long as
they continue as senators without re-election. Subject to any order of the
Senate, any question relating to the occupation of seats by senators is
determined by the President.
In practice senators sit in party groups, and seating arrangements are
made by party whips, subject to the approval of the President. Members of the
government party or parties sit to the President’s right behind the ministers,
and members of the Opposition party or parties sit to the left of the President
behind Opposition senators designated as shadow ministers. Members of minority
parties and independent senators sit on the cross-benches, that is, on the
seats located on the curve of the horseshoe-shaped banks of seats.
A resolution passed in 1986 allows opposition speakers leading for the
opposition to speak from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition’s place (18/9/1986, J.1214).
Senators may not
have on their desks items which are objectionable to
other senators (ruling of President Kingsmill, SD, 24/5/1932, pp 1231, 1239).
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