Chapter 16 - Committees
Power to meet and transact business
notwithstanding any prorogation of
the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives
Most Senate committees
are empowered to
continue their operations regardless of the prorogation of the Parliament or
the dissolution of the
House of Representatives, either of which occurrences terminates a session of
Parliament. Committees formed for the life of a parliament continue in
existence until the day before the next Parliament first meets.
On many occasions,
Senate committees have continued their activities after the dissolution of the
House of Representatives or prorogation of Parliament, including by taking
evidence and presenting reports. The absolute
privilege of these activities has not been called into question and the practice
is now firmly entrenched in standing orders as well as being confirmed by
declaratory resolution (22/10/1984, J.1276). The power of the
Senate to authorise its committees to meet derives from the Senate’s character as
a continuing House and from the Constitution. (For the major discussion of the
effects of prorogation, see Chapter 19, Relations with the Executive
Government, under Effect of prorogation.)
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