Senate standing orders panel defers technology rule and private bill wording to next week

Senator Charles Sinclair chaired the Senate Standing Orders Committee on Thursday, 10 July 2026, after prayers led by Senator Gail and confirmation that the substantive chairman was absent with apologies.

Members approved the circulated minutes from the previous session, which had centred on Standing Order 82(15)C and whether a committee report on a private bill with an adverse finding could take a particular position under a special order. Senator Golden Campbell had sought clarification on that wording. With Campbell absent and no final comment received, Sinclair said the committee would not sign off yet but should not let one missing member block progress where others had accepted the redraft explained by parliamentary staff.

The main live item was a redraft of Standing Order 82A(2) on technology in Senate sittings and committees. At the 22 May 2026 meeting, Senator Bernard had asked how senators could legitimately use electronic devices in real time to consult data and strengthen debate.

The current rule bars external communication with other persons during proceedings. The proposed text would prohibit such use except when strictly required to access, acquire or present data to support presentations and debate, subject to the president or committee chairman’s approval. Paragraph one of 82A already permits laptops, tablets, mobile phones and similar devices for notes and reference materials, including parliamentary papers.

Senator Scott Mley called the redraft a clear improvement that reflects practice, though she said enforcement still depends on members’ integrity. Senator Golden Campbell argued the whole monitoring scheme should be dropped, saying it is impossible to police device use and that limited parliamentary research often forces senators to look things up during sittings. She pointed to other legislatures where members have desk devices linked to databases. Other senators said some limits remain needed to prevent abuse and to preserve respect for speakers during debate. Staff noted models in the United Kingdom, Canada and Trinidad, while British Columbia’s rules are stricter.

Campbell asked for another week before finalising 82(15)C. Staff will circulate the documented 82A(2) redraft. A separate redraft of 82A(4) on excluding newspaper reports, raised by Senator Mutley on 22 May, is also ready for review. Senator Rose Bennett Cooper moved adjournment, seconded by Scott Mley.