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Parliament Act 2025

Parliamentary privilege - Preliminary provisions

13: Meaning of proceedings in Parliament

You could also call this:

"What happens in Parliament when they discuss and make decisions"

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When you think about what happens in Parliament, you might wonder what is meant by proceedings in Parliament. This phrase refers to all the things that are said and done when the House of Representatives or a committee is doing its work. You can think of it as all the words spoken and actions taken when Parliament is discussing and making decisions. This includes things like giving evidence, presenting documents, and preparing documents for Parliament. When you are talking about proceedings in Parliament, it also includes things like making documents, sending documents, and creating documents for Parliament's work. You should know that it even includes things that other laws say are part of Parliament's work, as stated in the <a href=https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM10992>Bill of Rights 1688. This means that proceedings in Parliament cover a wide range of activities that happen in the House of Representatives or its committees. If someone is speaking or doing something to help with Parliament's work, it is considered part of the proceedings, even if it is not strictly necessary. You do not have to consider whether the words or actions are necessary for the work to be done, it is just about whether they are related to the work of Parliament. This rule applies even if there are other laws or rules that might say something different.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS804135.

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Part 2Parliamentary privilege
Preliminary provisions

13Meaning of proceedings in Parliament

  1. For the purposes of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights 1688 and this Part, proceedings in Parliament means all words spoken and acts done in the course of, for the purposes of, or incidental to transacting the business of the House of Representatives or a committee.

  2. Without limiting subsection (1), proceedings in Parliament includes all of the following:

  3. giving evidence before the House of Representatives or a committee (and the evidence itself):
    1. presenting or submitting a document to the House of Representatives or a committee (and the document itself):
      1. preparing a document for the purposes of or incidental to transacting any business of the House of Representatives or a committee (and the document itself):
        1. formulating, making, or communicating a document under the House of Representatives’ or a committee’s authority (and the document itself):
          1. any proceeding that is stated by other legislation to be proceedings in Parliament for the purposes of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights 1688 or this Part.

            1. A reference in this section to words spoken or acts done for the purposes of or incidental to transacting the business of the House of Representatives or a committee includes words spoken or acts done for the purposes of or incidental to transacting reasonably apprehended business of the House of Representatives or committee.

            2. The determination of whether words are spoken or acts are done in the course of, for the purposes of, or incidental to transacting the business of the House of Representatives or a committee must not be limited to a consideration of whether the words or acts are to any degree necessary for transacting the business concerned.

            3. This section applies despite any other legislation or rule of law to the contrary.

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