Attachment 2

Standing Orders 72 and 73 – amendments required to implement proposed restructuring of question time

Note:  These amendments of the standing orders are based on an assumption that questions to chairs of committees and questions to other senators would be retained, but see attachment 3 for amendments proposed to abolish those categories of questions.

72      Questions without notice

(1)     At the time provided questions may be put to ministers relating to public affairs, on the following conditions:

            (a)     notice of each primary question must be placed on the Question Time Notice Paper by 11 am on the day on which the question is asked; and

            (b)     after each primary question is answered any senators, other than ministers, may ask no more than six supplementary questions.

          and to other senators relating to any matter connected with the business on the Notice Paper of which such senators have charge.

(2)     A question may be put to the chairman of a committee relating to the activities of that committee, provided that:

          (a)     unless leave of the Senate is granted for the question to be asked without notice, it may be asked only on notice;

          (b)     the question shall not attempt to interfere with the committee’s work or anticipate its report; and

          (c)     the chairman shall answer only on behalf of the committee.

(2A)  A question may be put to any other senator relating to any matter connected with the business on the Notice Paper of which such senator has charge.

(3)      (a)     The asking of each primary question and supplementary question shall not exceed one minute and the answering of each question shall not exceed 4 2 minutes.

          (b)     The asking of each supplementary question shall not exceed one minute and the answering of each supplementary question shall not exceed one minute.

(4)      (a)     After question time motions may be moved without notice to take note of answers given that day to questions.

          (b)     A senator may speak for not more than 5 minutes on such a motion.

          (c)     The time for debate on all motions relating to answers to questions without notice on any day shall not exceed 30 minutes.

73      Rules for questions

(1)     The following rules shall apply to questions:

questions shall not contain:

          (a)     statements of fact or names of persons unless they are strictly necessary to render the question intelligible and can be authenticated;

          (b)     arguments;

          (c)     inferences;

          (d)     imputations;

          (e)     epithets;

          (f)      ironical expressions; or

          (g)     hypothetical matter;

questions shall not ask:

          (h)     for an expression of opinion;

          (i)      for a statement of the government’s policy; or

          (j)      for legal opinion;

questions shall not refer to:

          (k)     debates in the current session; or

          (l)      proceedings in committee not reported to the Senate.

(2)     Questions shall not anticipate discussion upon an order of the day or other matter which appears on the Notice Paper.

(3)     The President may direct that the language of a question be changed if it is not in conformity with the standing orders.

(4)     In answering a question, a senator shall be directly relevant to the question and shall not debate it.

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