| Parliament name |
House of Representatives |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| Term |
- duration: 3 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, disqualification from membership of the House, death
|
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the House, at the first sitting of a new Parliament
- after Members' mandates are validated and after Members are sworn in
|
| Eligibility |
- any Member may be candidate
|
| Voting system |
- usually the Government candidate is elected unopposed; there is a formal vote when two or more candidates are proposed
- if more than 2 candidates are proposed, Members vote from their seats in the Chamber and Members are asked to state which nominee they vote for, until only two candidates remain
- absolute majority is required
|
| Procedures / results |
- the Clerk presides over the House during the voting
- the Clerk supervises the voting
- the Clerk announces the results without any delay
- the election must be confirmed by the Governor-General who could refuse to do so; however, this has never occured
|
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks third after the Governor-General; the Speaker does not act as Head of State
- represents the House with the public authorities
- is chairperson of the Parliamentary Services Commission
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy-Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
|
| Board |
|
| Material facilities |
- salary equivalent to a Government Minister
+ expense allowance
- official residence
- additional staff
|
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments in certain circumstances
- chairs Business Committee of the House of Representatives |
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the House
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- does not call for a vote, but verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the House, according to precedents
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus can organize impromptu debate on a matter of urgent public importance
|
| Special powers |
- approves draft budget for Parliamentary Services and Office of the Clerk
- is consulted concerning policy decisions relating to recruitment and promotion of staff
- recommends appointment of the Clerk, after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments, as ex officio president of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and IPU
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber, with the Serjeant-at-Arms
|
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
