Tabling of documents

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).