Tasmanian Bills

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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.


PARTITION BILL PRO FORMA BILL 3 OF 2014

Partition (pro forma).
The rules of the House specify that before the Governor's speech is reported to the
House by the President some formal business shall be transacted. This tradition is a
symbolic declaration by the House that it is master of its own program of business.
Since the Governor's speech outlines the Government's proposed legislative program,
the House asserts its independence from the Government by doing some business
which is not part of that program and before the President has formally notified the
House of the speech. Traditionally the formal business takes the form of the
presentation and first reading of a bill. This bill is termed the 'pro forma' bill and is
always non-contentious.

Adapted from a fact sheet 'A New Parliament No. 9 April 2002, House of
Representatives'. http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/infosheets/is09.pdf

"Guests reading today's programme may be curious as to why the Bill proforma is
introduced and read a first time. Before the Speech by His Excellency the Governor
can be considered by the Parliament, it is the practice in both Houses to read some
Bill a First time proforma in order to assert their right of deliberating without
reference to the immediate cause of their summons; that is the Proclamation issued by
the Governor, calling the two Houses together as required by the Constitution Act
1934. The Bill contains a title only, but nonetheless serves to demonstrate the
Parliament's independence."

Extract from Opening day Background Note, R.J.S McKenzie, Clerk of the Council.

 


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