Reports and other documents
This information relates to the tabling of reports and other documents. Information on procedures relating to answers to Questions on Notice can be found here.
Index
- Effect of Dissolution of Parliament
- Hard and Electronic Copies of Documents
- Tabling on Non-Sitting Days
- Tabling on Sitting Days
- Erratum Pages
- Further Information
Effect of Dissolution of Parliament
The most common method of terminating the Queensland Parliament is by dissolving the Legislative Assembly. A Proclamation of the Governor acting on the advice of the Premier is the instrument for Dissolution. A Dissolution occurs immediately before writs for a general election are issued every four years.
The proclamation dissolving the Legislative Assembly is published in the Queensland Government Gazette.
Dissolution has the following effects on the Legislative Assembly:
- All proceedings pending end. That is, all business before the House on the Notice Paper lapses, with the exception of notices of disallowance. For example, any questions on notice not answered at the time the parliament is dissolved are not required to be answered.
- Any Sessional or other orders cease to have effect; and
- All committees, except for the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee, cease to exist.
A Minister or the Speaker may table documents during the period between when the Legislative Assembly is dissolved until the new Parliament is opened. However, this can only occur where there is a legislative provision or Standing Orders permitting the tabling of a document and the Minister or Speaker explicitly requests that the document be tabled between Parliaments (see s 59 and 59A of the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 and Standing Order 31).
When a Minister or Speaker requires a document to be tabled during the dissolution period, the transmission to the Clerk must be accompanied by a covering letter signed by the Minister or Speaker requesting that the document be tabled in accordance with the relevant legislation and/or Standing Orders.
The covering letter should specify each document to be tabled, particularly any reports that comprise more than one volume. For example, the covering letter must include a paragraph like below:
In accordance with s 59 and 59A of the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 and Standing Order 31, I request that this document be tabled during the period that the Legislative Assembly is dissolved.
If this paragraph is not included, the document will be held over for tabling on the first regular sitting day of the next Parliament (Standing Order 32).
Hard and Electronic Copies of Documents
A single hard copy of all reports and other documents required to be tabled by statute or the Standing Orders must be provided to the Clerk (this will be the actual document tabled). In addition, the Committee of the Legislative Assembly determines the number of hard copies to be supplied to the Clerk (Standing Order 24). Hard copies need only be photocopies of the report and do not need to be formally printed documents.
Electronic versions are to be:
– in searchable PDF format (not a scanned image)
– free from embedded links (full hyperlinks are permitted)
– consistent in content and otherwise with the paper copy to be tabled, including in the use of colour text or images
– provided as a single document only
– emailed to TableOffice@parliament.qld.gov.au
Documents over 120MB should be provided on a USB and delivered to the Table Office (Room A.18, Parliament House, Cnr Alice and George Streets, Brisbane).
The following quantities must be provided:
| Document | Tabling copy copies required |
Additional paper copies required |
| Annual Reports | 1 | 1 |
| Financial Reports | 1 | 1 |
| Reports eg. Parliamentary Committee, Auditor-General, Ombudsman, Information Commissioner, Crime and Corruption Commission, statutory officers | 1 | 5 |
| Reports and other documents where there is a request to circulate to all members in the Chamber immediately after tabling | 1 | 94 |
| Reports on Ministerial Call In | 1 | 1 |
| Reports of a Commission of Inquiry or similar | 1 | 25 |
| Overseas travel reports | 1 | 1 |
| Budget papers and ministerial portfolio statements | 1 | 150 |
| Bill introduction Bills, Explanatory Notes, Statements of Compatibility with Human Rights and Statements relating to Override Declaration |
1 | 100 |
| Erratum to Bill Explanatory Notes | 1 | 100 |
| Amendments to Bills Amendments, Explanatory Notes to Amendments, Statements of Compatibility with Human Rights and Statements relating to Override Declaration |
1 | 60 |
| Subordinate legislation, explanatory notes and Human Rights Certificates | 1 | 5 |
Tabling on Non-Sitting Days
Only the Speaker, Ministers, the Governor and Parliamentary Committee Chairs may table documents on non-sitting days by transmitting the documents to the Clerk for tabling (Standing Orders 31 and 217).There is no provision for Assistant Ministers or backbench members to table documents on non-sitting days.
Documents for tabling in accordance with Standing Orders 31 and 217 should be provided to the Clerk during the business hours of the Table Office (9:00am to 5:00pm on non-sitting days). Documents received after 5:00pm will be tabled on the next business day.
Covering Letter
Documents transmitted to the Clerk for tabling must be accompanied by a covering letter requesting that the documents be tabled in accordance with the relevant legislation or policy and/or Standing Orders. Covering letters and documents for tabling can be transmitted via post to the Clerk or via email to the Table Office.
The covering letter should specify each document to be tabled, particularly in the case of financial statements included in annual reports as a CD and any annual reports that comprise more than one volume.
It is expected that covering letters are signed by the Minister. However, in circumstances where this is not possible (and this is the exception not the rule), it is sufficient for an email to be sent by someone who has the authority to request tabling on the Minister's behalf. In this situation, the email must state that the Minister requests that the document be tabled in accordance with the relevant legislation or policy and/or Standing Orders. This is the minimum standard that will be accepted in order to comply with the Standing Orders.
Examples:
1. Covering letter signed by the Minister
Dear Mr Laurie,
Please find enclosed the Department Annual Report 2022-23 and required copies for distribution. In accordance with Standing Order 31, I request that the report be tabled today.
An electronic copy of the report has also been provided to the Table Office.
2. Email sent in absence of a covering letter from the Minister
Dear Mr Laurie,
Please find attached the Overseas Travel Report from the Minister for xxx for their attendance at xxx. In accordance with Standing Order 31, the Minister has requested that this report be tabled today.
Two hardcopies of the report and an electronic copy have been provided to the Table Office.
3. Email sent accompanying a petition response from the Minister
Dear Mr Laurie,
On behalf of the Minister for xxx, please find attached a response to Petition xxxx-23. In accordance with Standing Orders 31 and 125, the Minister has requested that this response be tabled today.
Timing of Tabling on Non-Sitting Days
Documents provided for tabling on non-sitting days are tabled and published on the Parliament’s tabled papers database as soon as practicable after they are received by the Clerk. Therefore, the covering letter should clearly state if the document is to be embargoed until after a specific time.
It should be noted that documents can be embargoed up until a particular time, but no guarantee can be given that documents will be tabled at a nominated time on the tabling day.
Notification of Tabling on Non-Sitting Days
On non-sitting days, an automated email advice is generated from the tabled papers database when a document has been tabled. This is sent to Members and other clients who have subscribed to the service. The Table Office forwards this email to the relevant ministerial/departmental officer as confirmation that a report has been tabled.
Subscribe to the automated email alert
Tabling on Sitting Days
Ministers and Members may table documents during the parliamentary proceedings on sitting days. They may also transmit documents to the Clerk of the Parliament to table on the next sitting day on their behalf (Standing Order 32). Note, this is restricted to the time set aside in preliminary business for Notification and tabling of papers by the Clerk.
Documents for tabling in accordance with Standing Order 32 should be provided to the Clerk by 5pm on the day before the required tabling date. Please contact the Table Office if this timeframe cannot be met.
Ministers or Members wishing to table documents on the next sitting day via the Notification and Tabling document must provide a specific instruction. This does not have to be in the form of a covering letter, but it must state the document is to be tabled ‘on the next sitting day’ or ‘in accordance with Standing Order 32.’
Examples:
1. Covering letter signed by the Minister
Dear Mr Laurie,
Please find enclosed an Overseas Travel Report by the Member for xxx. In accordance with Standing Order 32, it is requested that the report be tabled on the next sitting day.
2. Email sent in absence of a covering letter from the Minister
Dear Mr Laurie,
On behalf of the Minister for xxx, please find attached a response to Petition xxxx-23. In accordance with Standing Order 32, the Minister has requested that this response be tabled on the next sitting day.
Erratum Pages
If an erratum is tabled by transmitting it to the Clerk at the same time as the report to which it relates, the erratum may be stapled inside the report at the appropriate point. Where multiple copies of reports are provided, the erratum slip must also be stapled inside each copy. In these cases, no separate written request for tabling the erratum is required.If an erratum is tabled at the same time as the report to which it relates, but is not stapled inside the report, or if the erratum is tabled at a different time to the report to which it relates, a covering letter must be provided to the Clerk requesting that the erratum be tabled.
A loose-leaf erratum must be provided on A4 paper. The first page of the erratum should clearly indicate the report to which it relates.