Seminar Program 2008

Working with the House

Do you have to arrange for tabling of a document in parliament? Do you need to know how to track delegated legislation to ensure that your department has met its legal requirements? When should you have that Question in Writing answered?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then our Working with the House seminar gives a practical guide to these specific areas of House operations and explains how to access the many sources of information available. The seminar includes an explanation of some of the main documents produced by the House, and how to track what the House has done on a particular sitting day. The seminar also covers tabling government documents, the specific requirements for legislative instruments (and explains the parliamentary scrutiny process) and how Questions in Writing, and answers to those questions, are dealt with.

Staff of parliamentary areas in departments may find this seminar particularly relevant.

Outcomes

• the tabling process for government documents and legislative instruments

• how Questions in Writing are dealt with, and what obligations there are on government departments in regard to these

• the major sources of information for parliamentary operations, and how to find these on-line

• how to monitor legislation and the work of committees on-line

Seminar Outline

1. Monitoring House activities

• basic determinants of parliamentary operations (standing orders, sitting patterns, routines of business)

• sources of information — people and systems

• understanding the Daily Program, the Notice Paper, Votes and Proceedings and the Daily Bills List

• using legislation on-line efficiently

• monitoring House committees

2. Tabled papers and you

• tabling government documents

• other documents tabled during debate

• deemed documents

• legislative instruments

• documents and House committees

• ancient history — researching old tabled documents

3. Handling Questions in Writing and answers

• House practice and standing orders

• Questions taken on notice at committee hearings

• House administrative processes

• transferring a question

• responses to Questions in Writing

• tracking on-line

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