[1] S.O. 200.
[2] Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, s. 46(1).
[3] E.g. Joint Committee on Publications, Inquiry into the purpose, scope and distribution of the Parliamentary Papers Series, PP 216 (1977) 14, H.R. Deb. (24.11.1978) 3456–7.
[4] E.g. VP 1996–98/619 (15.10.1996); VP 1998–2001/296–7 (10.2.1999); VP 1998–2001/853 (20.9.1999); VP 2004–07/1349 (4.9.2006).
[5] S.O. 2. This aligns with the definition of a document in the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.
[6] VP 2004–07/602 (12.9.2005), 1216 (19.6.2006).
[7] S.O.s 199–200.
[8] E.g. VP 1993–96/2516 (19.10.1995); VP 1996–98/457 (11.9.1996); VP 2008–10/942 (16.3.2009).
[9] S.O. 2.
[10] S.O. 34.
[11] S.O. 199(b).
[12] Resolution of the House effective March 1988. VP 1987–90/302–3 (9.12.1987).
[13] S.O. 199(a).
[14] E.g. VP 1993–96/965 (12.5.1994); VP 2010–13/71 (18.10.2010).
[15] E.g. VP 1993–96/1613 (5.12.1994); VP 1998–2001/1115 (6.12.1999); VP 2010–13/239 (24.11.2010).
[16] See for example, History of Hansard, VP 1970–72/1236 (11.10.1972); Radio broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings—papers, VP 1993–96/1327 (22.9.1994); VP 1996–98/95 (9.5.1996), 160 (27.5.1996); VP 2010–13/260 (25.11.2010) (response to committee report).
[17] Parliamentary Service Act 1999, ss. 42, 65. Note that a report or other document presented by both Presiding Officers may be presented to the two Houses on different days.
[18] Auditor-General Act 1997, ss. 15, 16, 17, 18, 25, 28.
[19] Ombudsman Act 1976, s. 17; VP 1985–87/392 (10.9.1985).
[20] See Ch. on ‘The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and officers’.
[21] E.g. VP 1978–80/981 (12.9.1979); VP 2002–04/1061–2 (12.8.2003).
[22] E.g. VP 1978–80/930 (21.8.1979), 977 (11.9.1979); VP 1996–98/366 (20.8.1996); VP 2002–04/1318 (25.11.2003); VP 2008–10/750 (27.11.2008).
[23] VP 1932–34/583 (23.3.1933).
[24] E.g. VP 1970–72/517 (20.4.1971); VP 1990–93/1633 (18.8.1992) (letter of apology).
[25] VP 1987–90/811 (1.11.1988), 1025 (28.2.1989).
[26] VP 2002–04/122–3 (19.3.2002).
[27] In response to a question the Speaker later indicated that he intended to take no action on the matter unless instructed by the House. H.R. Deb. (25.11.2003) 22719–20; H.R. Deb. (2.12.1903) 23432.
[28] VP 1967–68/10 (21.2.1967).
[29] An authority could report for a 12 month period other than the financial year; for example, see reports of joint fisheries authorities under the Fisheries Act 1952 (now repealed), VP 1993–96/949 (10.5.1994), 1983 (28.3.1995).
[30] E.g.Automotive Industry Act 1984, s. 10.
[31] E.g. Housing Assistance Act 1996, s. 14; Air Navigation Act 1920, s. 29.
[32] E.g. Urban and Regional Development (Financial Assistance) Act 1974, s. 8.
[33] Public Service Act 1999, ss. 63, 73. Requirements for Annual reports — for departments, executive agencies and other non-corporate Commonwealth entities, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, June 2015.
[34] And see ‘Delegated legislation’ in Ch. on ‘Legislation’.
[35] New arrangements for treaties were announced in May 1996: the Government undertook to table treaties at least 15 sitting days before taking binding action (except in cases of urgency, under the now so-called ‘national interest exemption’); treaties were to be tabled with a national interest analysis, to facilitate community and parliamentary scrutiny; and a Joint Standing Committee on Treaties was created to consider tabled treaties and related matters. H.R. Deb. (2.5.1996) 231–5. A period of 20 sitting days is now provided for some categories of treaties.
[36] Guidelines for the presentation of documents to the Parliament (including government documents, government responses to committee reports, ministerial statements, annual reports and other instruments), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, February 2017.
[37] Former S.O. 319. Documents were recorded in the Votes and Proceedings as being presented by command until 1983.
[38] Standing Orders Committee, Report, H of R 1 (1962–63) 57.
[39] Acts Interpretation Act 1963, s. 34B; H.R. Deb. (7.5.1963) 1066–7.
[40] S.O. 199(b).
[41] H.R. Deb. (9.10.1979) 1724; H.R. Deb. (3.6.1999) 5947.
[42] VP 1998–2001/1350 (4.4.2000); and see S.O. 53.
[43] VP 1978–80/1597 (28.8.1980); VP 1996–98/162 (27.5.1996). Speaker Hawker held that a request from a private Member for leave to present a document during Question Time would not be put to the House where the document was already on the public record, H.R. Deb. (17.11.2004) 73. Speaker Jenkins would not permit private Members, other than the questioner, to seek to table a document during Question Time, H.R. Deb. (22.2.2011) 913; H.R. Deb. (24.3.2011) 3206. Speaker Bishop stated she would uphold these earlier rulings, and that a request to table by a private Member would not be permitted when used as a disruptive device, H.R. Deb. (26.5.2014) 4105–6.
[44] S.O. 63.
[45] S.O. 207(b), see page 636.
[46] VP 2010–13/1825.
[47] S.O. 199(b). VP 1976–77/183 (19.5.1976); VP 1978–80/178 (4.5.1978); VP 1996–98/276 (20.6.1996).
[48] VP 2004–07/63 (1.12.2004).
[49] H.R. Deb. (20.3.2002) 1702.
[50] VP 1993–96/1972 (27.3.1995); VP 1996–98/491 (16.9.1996).
[51] Lord Campion, An introduction to the procedure of the House of Commons, 3rd edn, London, MacMillan, 1958, p. 197.
[52] H.R. Deb. (1.4.1976) 1239. In most cases Speakers have accepted the Minister’s word as to a document’s confidentiality. Speaker Sinclair insisted that documents should be marked confidential, H.R. Deb. (9.3.1998) 736, but subsequent Speakers have not continued this approach.
[53] H.R. Deb. (28.8.1913) 646–7.
[54] H.R. Deb. (23.2.1949) 612.
[55] H.R. Deb. (23.2.1972) 110; and see May, 24th edn, pp. 445–7.
[56] H.R. Deb. (20.9.1973) 1385.
[57] Sankey v. Whitlam and others (1978) 142 CLR 1.
[58] VP 1978–80/529 (14.11.1978), 541 (15.11.1978); H.R. Deb. (14.11.1978) 2715; H.R. Deb. (15.11.1978) 2867 (references to former S.O. 321).
[59] S.O. 200.
[60] See also May, 24th edn, p. 133.
[61] The order was by way of a government amendment to a motion censuring a Minister. The document involved was apparently a ‘leaked’ copy of a cabinet submission, the content of which was the ground of the attempted censure. The Member stated that he did not acknowledge the right of the House to order him to produce the document. The Speaker later stated that the comments, although contemptuous, did not constitute a prima facie case of contempt, and that the House might be best advised to consult its own dignity and not take any further action in the matter. VP 1998–2001/957–63 (13.10.1999), H.R. Deb (13.10.1999) 11479–510. The Speaker had earlier been asked to rule the amendment out of order on the grounds that the House did not have the power to order a private Member to produce documents. The Speaker’s response was that it was not his intention to limit the power of the House to determine what could or could not be produced.
[62] The last return to order was laid on the Table of the House on 25 July 1917, VP 1917–19/20 (25.7.1917).
[63] S.O. 236; and see Ch. on ‘Committees’.
[64] Odgers, 14th edn, pp. 581–6.
[65] Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, s. 353(1); and see Ch. on ‘Elections and the electoral system’.
[66] E.g. VP 1996–98/72 (8.5.1996), 109 (20.5.1996); VP 1998–2001/205 (9.12.1998); VP 2002–04/17 (13.2.2002); VP 2004–07/130 (9.12.2004), 143 (8.2.2005); VP 2010–13/174–5 (15.11.2010).
[67] E.g. VP 1993–96/176 (19.8.1993), 1106 (27.6.1994); VP 1996–98/428–30 (11.9.1996); VP 1998–2001/717 (9.8.1999); VP 2002–04/328 (19.8.2002).
[68] E.g. VP 2008–10/133 (11.3.2008).
[69] Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, s. 369.
[70] S.O. 4(e); E.g. VP 2004–07/2–6 (16.11.2004); VP 2010–13/2–6 (28.9.2010).
[71] S.O. 39. For a detailed discussion of committee reports see Ch. on ‘Committee inquiries’.
[72] S.O. 247(a).
[73] E.g. VP 1978–80/1584 (27.8.1980).
[74] E.g. VP 1977/367–9 (27.10.1977); VP 1996–98/535 (19.9.1996); VP 1998–2001/1625 (14.8.2000).
[75] S.O. 247(c), see page 612 and Ch. on ‘Committee inquiries’.
[76] S.O. 34.
[77] S.O. 63a.
[78] S.O. 202(a).
[79] Guidelines for the presentation of documents to the Parliament (including government documents, government responses to committee reports, ministerial statements, annual reports and other instruments), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, February 2017, pp.12–13.
[80] E.g. H.R. Deb. (10.5.2000) 16187; H.R. Deb. (7.2.2006) 37–8; H.R. Deb. (2.2.2016) 57–60.
[81] S.O. 39(e).
[82] For procedures applying to the presentation of committee and delegation reports see Chs on ‘Non-government business’ and ‘Committees’.
[83] S.O. 202(c).
[84] VP 2008–10/495 (2.9.2008).
[85] H.R. Deb. (10.3.2010) 2166.
[86] E.g. VP 2002–04/691 (4.2.2003), 1064 (12.8.2003), 1233–4 (9.10.2003). Another example is a copy of an announcement of the death of a former Member, providing, in effect, the opportunity for a condolence debate, VP 2002–04/1401 (10.2.2004), 1428 (12.2.2004) (Main Committee).
[87] VP 1993–96/2427 (27.9.1995) (Main Committee).
[88] S.O. 202(b). This ‘single motion’ procedure has not been routinely used since the 44th Parliament.
[89] E.g. VP 1985–87/882 (29.4.1986)—amendment to disallow regulations that were the subject of the ministerial statement.
[90] E.g. VP 2002–04/400 (17.9.2002), 709 (6.2.2003), 725–6 (11.2.2003) (amendment to proposed amendment)—amendments critical of government position given in ministerial statements, and expressing alternative views.
[91] Examples of a ‘take note’ being agreed to: VP 1970–72/667 (23.8.1971) (Privileges Committee report); VP 1993–96/2293–4 (30.6.1995) (ministerial statement on ‘An Australian Republic’); VP 2004–07/475 (23.6.2005) (copies of three condolence motions, already agreed to, referred for debate in the Main Committee); VP 2016–18/320 (9.11.2016) (Prime Minister’s statement on the death of an international figure).
[92] S.O. 253.
[93] See Committee of Privileges, The use of or reference to the records of proceedings of the House in the courts, PP 154 (1980) 6. Leave of the Senate is not required in these circumstances (resolution of 25.2.88, J 1987–90/525 (24.2.1988), 536 (25.2.1988)). In 1980 the UK House of Commons dispensed with the requirement that leave be granted in respect of the production of parliamentary records.
[94] E.g. VP 1985–87/1355 (26.11.1986).
[95] E.g. VP 1983–84/881 (2.10.1984).
[96] H.R. Deb. (25.2.1992) 27 (faxed letter to the Speaker); VP 1996–98/514 (18.9.1996), 525 (19.9.1996) (following statement of committee chair); VP 1998–2001/823 (31.8.1999), 827 (1.9.1999) (faxed letter to the Speaker).
[97] In a 1992 case the matter was referred also to the Manager of Opposition Business and the (sole) independent Member, who each spoke to the motion moved on behalf of the Leader of the House, H.R. Deb. (25.2.1992) 390–92.
[98] VP 1996–98/408 (9.9.1996) (House informed of Speaker’s decision).
[99] S.O. 28.
[100] Archives Act 1983, ss. 3, 18, 20.
[101] Archives (Records of Parliament) Regulations 1995, s. 2 (SR 91 of 1995).
[102] VP 1978–80/1539–40 (22.5.1980); H.R. Deb. (22.5.1980) 3133–4.
[103] VP 1983–84/988–9 (11.10.1984).
[104] Guidelines for the presentation of documents to the Parliament (including government documents, government responses to committee reports, ministerial statements, annual reports and other instruments), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, February 2017, p. 7.
[105] S.O. 247(c)—see Ch. on ‘Committee inquiries’.
[106] VP 1983–84/989 (11.10.1984); H.R. Deb. (11.10.1984) 2200.
[107] The order to print was the traditional term and is still used by the Senate.
[108] Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary and Government Publications, Report, PP 32 (1964–66) 28.
[109] PP 216 (1977) 1.
[110] S.O. 219; Senate S.O. 22.
[111] Joint Committee on Publications, The future of the Parliamentary Papers Series. PP 416 (1997). The Presiding Officers’ response accepted these recommendations, S.Deb. (10.11.1998) 32–3; Government response, S. Deb. (11.3.1999) 2773.
[112] Joint Committee on Publications, The distribution of the Parliamentary Papers Series. PP 114 (2006).
[113] Joint Committee on Publications, Inquiry into the development of a digital depository and electronic distribution of the Parliamentary Papers Series, PP 160 (2010).
[114] Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Guidelines for the presentation of documents to the Parliament, 2017.
[115] Conveyed by correspondence.
[116] S.O. 219.
[117] S.O. 219(a).
[118] VP 2016–18/1484 (28.3.2018).
[119] S.O. 219(c).
[120] The report covering the same documents will be numbered differently by each House, e.g. the 28th report of the House committee presented on 30.11.95 equated to the 25th report of the Senate committee presented the same day. VP 1993–96/2696 (30.11.1995); J1993–96/4304 (30.11.1995).
[121] E.g. VP 1978–80/608–11 (24.11.1978); VP 1996–98/535–6 (19.9.1996); J1978–80/436–8 (26.10.1978); VP 2010–13/151–4 (28.10.2010). Leave has been refused, e.g. VP 2004–07/585 (7.9.2005); H.R. Deb. (21.3.2013) 2919.
[122] www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Chamber_documents/
[123] Notice is not necessary for presentation of a committee or delegation report.
[124] E.g. NP (22.2.2008) 20 (Main Committee).
[125] Pursuant to S.O. 222, see Ch. on ‘Non-government business’.
[126] E.g. NP 61 (23.5.1988) 2483; NP 50 (29.6.1999) 17.
[127] See ‘Notice’ in Ch. on ‘Motions’ for full details.
[128] S.O. 106.
[129] S.O. 139(c); and see Ch. on ‘Legislation’.
[130] S.O. 108.
[131] S.O. 45.
[132] S.O. 222.
[133] S.O. 108.
[134] S.O. 42.
[135] S.O. 37(a).
[136] See Chs on ‘Order of business and the sitting day’ and ‘Motions’.
[137] NP 42 (2.12.1974) 4503.
[138] S.O. 37(d).
[139] S.O. 45.
[140] S.O. 222.
[141] S.O. 42.
[142] NP 176 (19.8.1980) 10851; NP 34 (8.10.1996) 1231. see Ch. on ‘Motions’.
[143] Before 13 August 1963 questions were renumbered each sitting day, see NP 89 (13.8.1963), NP 90 (14.8.1963). The practice is to list consecutively all questions received from an individual Member, and to list these in order of the seniority of the Ministers to whom they are addressed, even though they may not have been received in that exact order.
[144] Until 1977 all unanswered questions were printed in every Notice Paper—changes since then have been to save printing costs.
[145] www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Chamber_documents
[146] H.R. Deb. (22.5.1980) 3105, 3142.
[147] S.O. 27.
[148] www.aph.gov.au/votes; electronic copies of all Votes since 1901 are available. The draft Votes (Live Minutes) for the current sitting can be accessed at www.aph.gov.au/LiveMinutes, and for the Federation Chamber at www.aph.gov.au/LiveMinutes-FC; this site is updated every five minutes when the House is sitting.
[149] S.O. 27(c).
[150] S.O. 135(a).
[151] S.O. 135(c).
[152] S.O.s 126. On one occasion the dissent of the Opposition was recorded, by leave, VP 1978–80/686 (22.3.1979).
[153] Except if there are four or fewer Members on a side only the names of the minority are recorded, S.O. 127.
[154] This entry was first included in 1962, VP 1962–63/15 (21.2.1962).
[155] S.O.s 27(b), 189.
[156] VP 1978–80/427–8 (27.9.1978), 1109–32 (23.10.1979).
[157] E.g. VP 1978–80/1662 (16.9.1980); VP 1996–98/241 (17.6.1996).
[158] E.g. VP 1978–80/966 (29.8.1979).
[159] E.g. VP 1978–80/213 (10.5.1978); VP 2010–13/89 (19.10.2010).
[160] S.O.s 116(a), 121(b); but see VP 1978–80/700–1 (27.3.1979) where a motion to suspend standing orders, although not seconded, was recorded as it led to further proceedings.
[161] S.O. 108.
[162] E.g. VP 1978–80/848 (31.5.1979), 913–4 (6.6.1979).
[163] E.g. VP 1978–80/153 (13.4.1978); VP 2008–10/666 (23.10.2008).
[164] E.g. VP 1974–75/169 (18.9.1974).
[165] E.g. VP 1978–80/1182–3 (13.11.1979); VP 1996–98/462 (12.9.1996); VP 2008–10/666 (23.10.2008).
[166] H.R. Deb. (25.7.1901) 3056–7.
[167] H.R. Deb. (16.3.1944) 1472–3.
[168] H.R. Deb. (16.3.1944) 1474; VP 1943–44/99 (16.3.1944).
[169] VP 1943–44/101 (17.3.1944).
[170] H.R. Deb. (21.3.1944) 1640.
[171] H.R. Deb. (22.11.1979) 3369.
[172] VP 1987–90/925–7 (24.11.1988); H.R. Deb. (24.11.1988a.m.) 3312.
[173] VP 1909/62 (28.7.1909); and see Ch. on ‘The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and officers’.
[174] VP 1909/67 (29.7.1909).
[175] VP 1914–17/181 (29.4.1915); see also Ch. on ‘Members’.
[176] S.O. 135(b); see VP 1940/105 (21.6.1940); and H.R. Deb. (7.4.1978) 1239–40.
[177] E.g. VP 1978–80/547 (16.11.1978).
[178] For a full account of the history of Hansard see PP 286 (1972).
[179] For further discussion of the functions of the department see Ch. on ‘The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and officers’.
[180] H.R. Deb. (29.4.1915) 2724; H.R. Deb. (21.5.1915) 3344; H.R. Deb. (28.11.1918) 8511; H.R. Deb. (1.5.1940) 416; H.R. Deb. (8.5.1942) 1030; H.R. Deb. (27.9.1951) 164.
[181] H.R. Deb. (21.9.1977) 1390–2, 1418–9.
[182] PP 286 (1972) 74.
[183] H.R. Deb. (26.6.1906) 745; H.R. Deb. (12.10.1971) 2160; H.R. Deb. (10.4.1978) 1299.
[184] H.R. Deb. (10.4.1978) 1299; H.R. Deb. (3.12.1996) 7510.
[185] H.R. Deb. (11.11.1904) 6885; PP 286 (1972) 84.
[186] H.R. Deb. (10.5.1940) 697.
[187] H.R. Deb. (13.11.1913) 3118.
[188] H.R. Deb. (13.10.1933) 3540; H.R. Deb. (9.5.1950) 2235; H.R. Deb. (21.9.1977) 1432; H.R. Deb. (15.5.2002) 2228; H.R. Deb. (16.5.2002) 2379; H.R. Deb. (28.5.2002) 2480.
[189] H.R. Deb. (25.11.1998) 637–8, 679 (deletion of name mentioned in personal explanation); VP 2016–18/801 (31.5.2017) (deletion of name mentioned in question without notice some years earlier—by resolution of the House).
[190] H.R. Deb. (25.2.1969) 32.
[191] H.R. Deb. (2.4.1974) 804.
[192] H.R. Deb. (21.5.1915) 3344; H.R. Deb. (1.5.1940) 416.
[193] Currently the Department of Communications and the Arts.
[194] See for example correspondence between Presiding Officers and Attorneys-General. In the United Kingdom the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 gives statutory recognition to the principle of ‘parliamentary copyright’.
[195] And see H.R. Deb. (7.12.2000) 23810.
[196] The office of Government Printer ceased with the privatisation of the Australian Government Publishing Service in 1997.
[197] Advice of Attorney-General’s Department, 1 November 1967.
[198] H.R. Deb. (28.5.1908) 11673.
[199] Commonwealth Hansard—Its establishment and development, 1901 to 1972, PP 286 (1972) 4–8.
[200] Parliamentary Papers Act 1908, ss. 3, 4; H.R. Deb. (6.12.1935) 2829.
[201] H.R. Deb. (5.5.1993) 89–90; VP 1993–96/25 (5.5.1993); J1993–96/123 (12.5.1993).
[202] VP 1993–96/1620 (5.12.1994).
[203] Advice of Attorney-General’s Department, dated 24 July 1964.
[204] Advice of Attorney-General’s Department, dated 24 July 1964.
[205] H.R. Deb. (1.5.1996) 87 (former S.O. 100A).
[206] Duncan v. Cammell Laird & Co. (1942) AC 624.
[207] Conway v. Rimmer (1968) AC 910.
[208] Sankey v. Whitlam and others (1978) 142 CLR 1 at 62–4.
[209] See in particular the judgment of the Federal Court of Australia in Harbours Corporation of Queensland v. Vessey Chemicals Pty Ltd (1986) 67 ALR 100, which analysed Sankey v. Whitlam and subsequent judgements. The court found against the proposition that there was a presumption in favour of immunity from disclosure attaching to Cabinet documents.
[210] However this common law position was overridden by statute in New South Wales by that State’s Evidence Amendment Act 1979, which made the certificate of the Attorney-General conclusive.
[211] For example, the Federal Court has ordered confidential Foreign Investment Review Board documents to be made available to an applicant’s legal representatives, INP Consortium Limited and ors v. John Fairfax Holdings Limited (formerly Tourang Limited) and ors (1994).
[212] May, 10th edn, pp. 507–11.
[213] See Odgers, 14th edn, pp. 643–75.
[214] Odgers, 14th edn, pp. 657.
[215] E.g. J 1993–96/1641 (10.5.1994). The censure did not result in the production of documents. And see Odgers, 14th edn, p. 640.
[216] Egan v. Willis and Cahill (1996) 40 NSWLR 650, Egan v. Willis (1998) HCA 71, 158 ALR 527.
[217] Egan v. Chadwick and others (1999) 46 NSWLR 563.
[218] PP 168 (1972).
[219] J 1974–75/836–7 (17.7.1975).
[220] Senate Committee of Privileges, Matters referred by Senate resolution of 17 July 1975, PP 215 (1975) 58.
[221] J 1974–75/824–5 (9.7.1975).
[222] PP 215 (1975) 16–20.
[223] PP 215 (1975) 23–8.
[224] J 1974–75/824–5 (9.7.1975); PP 215 (1975) 21–2.
[225] J 1974–75/936 (7.10.1975); PP 215 (1975).
[226] PP 215 (1975) 11–12.
[227] PP 215 (1975) 51.
[228] PP 219 (1984).
[229] Examples referred to were arbitration by the Head of State (Papua New Guinea) or Administrator (Northern Territory).
[230] Parliamentary Privileges Amendment (Enforcement of Lawful Orders) Bill 1994.
[231] Odgers, 14th edn, p. 651.
[232] VP 1993–96/1107 (27.6.1994).
[233] H.R. Deb. (8.12.1994) 4375. PP 408 (1994).
[234] PP 168 (1972) 40.
[235] J. Redlich, The procedure of the House of Commons: a study of its history and its present form, Constable, London, 1918, vol. II, p. 239.
[236] J. Hatsell, Precedents of proceedings in the House of Commons with observations, 4th edn, Hansard, London, 1818, vol. III, p. 240.
[237] For statistics of petitions presented since 1901 see Appendix 20.
[238] VP 1993–96/71 (13.5.1993).
[239] H.R. Deb. (4.12.2000) 23253–4. Note that the number of signatures has been recorded only since 1988.
[240] VP 2013–16/325 (26.2.2014).
[241] PP 189 (2007).
[242] Standing Committee on Petitions, Electronic petitioning to the House of Representatives, PP 389 (2009).
[243] See sections 51 and 52 of the Constitution.
[244] May, 24th edn, p. 486. A petition may be received even if the matter complained of has passed, e.g. VP 1993–96/1790 (6.2.1995).