The September 2006 edition contains changes on the following matters, adopted by the Senate since the publication of the previous edition in February 2006.

Restructuring the committee system

First report of 2006 of the Procedure Committee outlined the amendments required to implement a government proposal to alter the committee system principally to combine the functions of legislation and references committees under single legislative and general purpose standing committees chaired by government senators. The Senate adopted the proposed changes on 14 August 2006 , with effect from 11 September 2006 (J.2474).

Principal amendment: standing order 25.

Consequential amendments: standing orders 26, 74 and 115; procedural orders of continuing effect: Reference of Tax Expenditures Statement to committees considering estimates; Parliamentary secretaries; Broadcasting of proceedings of committees when considering estimates.

Senators’ Interests—Notification of alteration of interests

Second report of 2006 of the Standing Committee of Senators’ Interests recommended amendments to Resolutions 1(1) and 1(2)(b) to extend the time for the notification of alterations to 35 days. The Senate adopted this recommendation on 10 August 2006 (J.2457).