Committee establishment, role and history
The committee is appointed by a standing order of the House of Representatives
to inquire into and report on the practices and procedures of the House. The committee
was first established in 1985 to replace the Standing Orders Committee. (See
History of the Procedure Committee for more
information.)
The committee consists of 7 Members of the House (4 government and 3
non-government) and is able to determine its own inquiries within the
broad framework of its overall terms of reference. The committee is established
by
standing order 221. The committee operates under the standing orders applying
committees generally (standing orders 228-247).
As a result of reports of the Procedure Committee a number of initiatives
have been taken relating to the business of the House, including significant
developments relating to private Members' business. Major changes in the procedures
for the consideration of legislation, including the establishment of the
Main Committee, also followed recommendations of the Procedure Committee.
More recently the committee initiated a complete rewrite and reorganisation
of the standing orders to make them easier to understand for Members and the public.
The Committee was also instrumental in the establishment of new arrangements for responding to petitions, including the establishment of a Petitions Committee.
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