Parliamentary Privilege Amendment Act 2005

Parliamentary Privilege Amendment Act 2005

An Act to amend the Parliamentary Privilege Act 1858

Be it enacted by His Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly, in Parliament assembled, as follows:

1.   Short title

This Act may be cited as the Parliamentary Privilege Amendment Act 2005 .

2.   Commencement

This Act commences on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

3.   Principal Act

In this Act, the Parliamentary Privilege Act 1858 is referred to as the Principal Act.

4.    Section 2B inserted

After section 2A of the Principal Act , the following section is inserted:

2B.   Meetings of committees may be held electronically

(1)  A committee of either House of Parliament or a joint committee of both Houses may hold meetings by electronic communication without the members of the committee being present in the same place.

(2)  Subsection (1) applies if –

(a) the members of the committee constituting a quorum are able to speak to, and hear, each other contemporaneously when making any deliberation; and

(b) when a witness gives oral evidence to the committee, the members of the committee constituting a quorum are able to hear the witness contemporaneously and question the witness within the hearing of each other committee member constituting the quorum; and

(c) the chairperson of the committee ensures that a quorum is maintained during the meeting and –

(i) in the case of a committee of the Legislative Council, that the standing orders of the Council are observed; and

(ii) in the case of a committee of the House of Assembly, that the standing orders of the House are observed; and

(iii) in the case of a joint committee of both Houses, unless the resolution establishing the joint committee makes provision for the standing orders that are to be observed, that the standing orders of the Council or Assembly, as the joint committee resolves, are observed.

[Second reading presentation speech made in:

House of Assembly on 29 NOVEMBER 2005

Legislative Council on 30 NOVEMBER 2005]