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The role of the Speaker

Duties
Questions
Outside the Debating Chamber
International relations

The Office of the Speaker explains the constitutional role and duties of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives is the highest officer elected by the House. The position is third in the New Zealand Order of Precedence, coming only after the Governor General and the Prime Minister.

The title of Speaker derives from the original House of Commons spokesperson who, on formal occasions, had to speak for and on behalf of the House of Commons to the House of Lords and to the monarch.

The election of the Speaker is the first task of a new Parliament once members have been sworn in. The role is non-partisan.

It was once traditional for the Speaker to 'pretend' he or she did not want to accept the position. A symbolic piece of rope was kept beside the Speaker’s Chair in the Chamber as a reminder that an English Speaker was physically held in the Chair by members so that the House could continue debating a matter which members wished to consider.

The Speaker represents and embodies the House in its relations with the Crown and the position is therefore an exalted one commanding the respect of other members.

Unlike the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Speaker in New Zealand maintains links with his or her political party. But in doing so, the Speaker must not compromise the non-partisan nature of the role. The Speaker must never display favour or disdain for one party or side of the House. All members of the House must be treated equally, regardless of their party affiliations.

The Speaker keeps order during debate in the House and rules on disputes concerning procedure. As well as his role in the House, the Speaker has a variety of duties to perform.

Duties

The most visible role of the Speaker is in presiding over the deliberations of the House (except when it goes into committee).

It is the Speaker’s role to ensure that debate in the House progresses in an orderly fashion. The Speaker has the power to evict a member of the House for disorderly behaviour.

When several members want to speak, the Speaker decides who will have the floor.

Questions

Each sitting day the House devotes about one hour to 12 questions that members wish to put to Ministers about matters they have responsibility for. The questions are usually about topical issues. Ministers are given a few hours' notice of the questions so that they can prepare an informative reply. Once the Minister has replied, members can ask further supplementary questions. The number of questions and supplementary questions that each party can ask is determined by the number of seats they have in the House.

Question time is the liveliest time of day in the House and as well as being broadcast by Radio New Zealand on the AM network, it is televised through the Sky network.

Outside the Debating Chamber

As well as chairing the debating chamber, the Speaker presides over select committees including, the Business Committee, the Officers of Parliament Committee and the Standing Orders Committee. The Speaker also chairs the Parliamentary Service Commission, which is responsible for the administrative support that members require.

The Speaker also has statutory responsibilities for the Controller and Auditor General, Ombudsmen and Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
The Speaker technically owns all of Parliament’s grounds and buildings – Parliament House, the adjoining library, the lease on Bowen House and the Beehive. The Parliamentary Service is responsible for the day to day upkeep, security and staffing of these facilities. In this capacity, the Speaker is also responsible for the allocation of office space and the control of media and public access to the buildings.

The Business Committee chaired by the Speaker controls the organisation of the business of the House. Also on the committee, established after the first MMP election in 1996, is the Leader of the House, the Opposition Shadow Leader and the Whips of each party.

The Standing Orders are the written rules of conduct governing the business of the House. If a Member of Parliament feels one of these 402 rules has been breached by another member, he or she stands and raises a point of order. The Speaker must then determine whether the complaint is just. Earlier Speaker’s rulings on similar points of order are referred to in considering the point raised. The Clerk of the House, who sits directly in front of the Speaker, assists the Speaker in making such rulings.

The Standing Orders Committee is responsible for reviewing Standing Orders and, where necessary, updating them.

International relations

All our Parliament's relations with other Parliaments are carried out through the Speaker’s Office. It is usual for delegations from other parliaments and ambassadors to call on the Speaker. The Speaker also assists our parliamentarians in visiting other Parliaments.

A former Speaker, Rt Hon J L Hunt, with the Sergeant-at-Arms carrying the mace. The mace has its origins in British history, where it once symbolised royal authority, and came to symbolise the power of the Houses of Parliament.

The Speaker must never display favour or disdain for one party or side of the House