Standing Orders—Sessional

Following discussion and agreement at the Business Committee yesterday, I seek leave for two matters relating to changes in the drafting of legislation.

That the Clerk of the House of Representatives, when reprinting bills at any stage during their passage through the House or when preparing them for the Royal assent, after consultation with the Chief Parliamentary Counsel or (as the case may be) the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, may make amendments to bills currently before the House or its committees—

(a) to incorporate the changes in drafting style adopted by the Parliamentary Counsel Office referred to in the document Changes in drafting style: List of proposed changes in drafting style in legislation, presented to the House on 15 March 2006; and

(b) to amend bills by omitting where applicable any clause 1(2) (relating to the principal Act) and substituting a new clause that describes the principal Act being amended—

but, in each case, not so as to alter the meaning of the provisions of those bills.

That a clause in a bill confined to stating that the bill amends an existing Act (a principal Act clause) be treated as a preliminary clause that may be taken together with the title and commencement clauses in committee.

💬 Madam SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course being followed? There is no objection.