General committee provisions
41 List of committees
Lists of all committees, of the matters referred to them and of their reports shall be published in the Notice Paper.
Amendment history
Adopted: 19 August 1903 as SO 315 but renumbered as SO 311 for the first printed edition
1989 revision: Old SO 323 renumbered as SO 41 and repositioned from old chapter XXII on select committees; language modernised
Commentary
A list of committees is published in the Notice paper
In its original form, SO 41 required lists of committees to be “affixed in some conspicuous place in the Lobby and Clerk’s Office”, supposedly for the information of senators primarily. The 1989 revision brought it into the modern age by providing for lists of committees, together with their current inquiries and reports presented, to be published in the Notice Paper. At the time, the Notice Paper was a widely circulated printed document. In the 21st century, the Notice Paper is published on the internet and is updated daily. The printed Notice Paper does not contain full lists of reports presented for the duration of the Parliament in every issue, but these details are always available in the online version. The rate of change of committee information, particularly concerning membership details and referrals of bills, not to mention the now substantial interaction between committees and the community, makes public access to up-to-date and authoritative information essential.