Appendix C - Results of Members’ survey
Survey of Members’ views on arrangements for presenting and speaking on
committee reports
(Total number of survey respondents was 36 Members from a
population of 150 Members of the House of Representatives, that is, a
response rate of 24 per cent)
|
|
YES
|
NO
|
Total responses to question
|
|
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Number
|
|
1) Do you
consider there is sufficient time available for the presentation and debate
of committee reports?
Yes / No
[if yes go to question 4]
|
5
|
14
|
31
|
86
|
36
|
|
2) If
no, would you support a proposal to increase the time available for the
presentation and debate of committee reports by:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
a) reducing the time available to debate private
members’ business? Yes / No
|
6
|
22
|
21
|
78
|
27
|
|
b) transferring debate of private members’ business to
the Main Committee?
Yes / No
|
17
|
59
|
12
|
41
|
29
|
|
c) increased sittings of the House?
Yes / No
|
10
|
34.5
|
19
|
65.5
|
29
|
|
d) increased sittings of the Main Committee? Yes / No
|
27
|
90
|
3
|
10
|
30
|
|
3) Would you support a proposal to permit debate of
committee reports to start in the Main Committee (perhaps following formal
presentation to the House by the Speaker)?
Yes / No
|
25
|
76
|
8
|
24
|
33
|
|
4) Apart from the availability of time, do you consider
other arrangements for presenting and speaking on committee reports
satisfactory? Yes / No
|
24
|
73
|
9
|
27
|
33
|
If not, please indicate briefly why . . . . . .
5) Any other
comments or proposals on these or related matters?
(Summary of responses)
n
Most reports sit on the bookshelf-
It’s often years before they get a response from Government.
n
Reports are important documents.
They should be given a “higher” profile in order to broaden The Community’s
awareness of the recommendations…etc…
n
There is also a great need to have
more timely response from the Government to reports.
n
I believe that the current
procedure of allowing a 5 minute speech by the Chair and the Deputy Chair of Committees in insufficient and undermines the work put in to developing and preparing the
report.
n
In addition it does not give
proper recognition to the many people, organisations, experts, government
departments and interest bodies that provide submissions and evidence to the Committees- they deserve more than 10 minutes in the House.
n
A Member answered “YES/NO Maybe”
to question 2 (c) increased sittings of the House?
n
Committee work requires a big time commitment from Members,
staff and those person providing submissions and evidence, therefore I believe
the tabling process and the treatment by the Parliament needs to reflect this.
n
We can start Parliament at 12 noon on the Monday with strict standing orders saying no other business including the
suspension of standing orders is permitted until 12.30 pm. This will give those members who want to participate time to be there while excusing others from
attending. No suspension of standing orders, divisions to be called for 30
minutes.
n Start earlier on Mondays.
n
To question 2 (b) a Member
answered Yes and put the comments – not as a matter of course but when a report
requires tabling-inquiry rather than delegation.
n
With all the work, time and
resource that goes into the inquiry and presentation of a report, whatever can
be done to highlight the occasion, should be considered.
n It’s much better to have the debate of the report at
the same time as tabling.
n
A Member indicated at question 2
(b) No and then commented ‘strongly opposed’.
n
A Member answered at question 3,
Yes and commented ‘only on delegation reports’.
n
There should be an opportunity for
committees to address the government response-at the instance / request of a
committee.
n
A Member commented at question 2
(d) increased sittings of the Main Committee? ‘No-not for this purpose’.
n
Because of time constraints few
members of committees actually get to speak on the work/report of committees.
n
I suggest that Chairs and Deputy
Chairs of committees should meet at least three times a year and report to
parliament any trends, developments, successes and concerns to do with the work
of parliamentary committees. For example the slipping of government responses
to parliamentary committees discussed at the meetings of Chairs and Deputy
Chairs held earlier this year was worthy of noting in the House. I would also
suggest that Secretariat should present to these meetings re any concerns,
resource problems, trends etc that affect secretariat staff in supporting the
work of Parliamentary committees.