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Parliament Bill

Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and parliamentary precincts - Speaker and Deputy Speaker - Authority to act as Speaker

48: Member with authority to act as Speaker

You could also call this:

"Who replaces the Speaker if they can't work?"

Illustration for Parliament Bill

If the Speaker's job is empty or they are not working, and the Deputy Speaker's job is also empty or they are not working, a special rule applies. You need to know that another member can do the Speaker's job. This member is chosen by the House of Representatives to act as the Speaker. When this member does the Speaker's job, it means they are allowed to do so. They can do the Speaker's tasks, follow the Speaker's duties, and use the Speaker's powers under this Act and the Public Finance Act 1989.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS940379.

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47: Deputy Speaker may act as Speaker under this Act or Public Finance Act 1989, or

"What happens when the Speaker is away: the Deputy Speaker's role"

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49: Deputy Speaker to continue in office despite dissolution or expiration of Parliament, or

"The Deputy Speaker keeps their job even when Parliament ends."

Part 3Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and parliamentary precincts
Speaker and Deputy Speaker: Authority to act as Speaker

48Member with authority to act as Speaker

  1. This section applies if—

  2. the office of Speaker is vacant or the Speaker is absent from duty; and
    1. the office of Deputy Speaker is vacant or the Deputy Speaker is absent from duty.

      1. The functions, duties, and powers of the Speaker under this Act and the Public Finance Act 1989 may or (in the case of a duty) must be performed or exercised by a member with authority to act as Speaker.

      2. A member with authority to act as Speaker is a member who is appointed by the House of Representatives to exercise the Speaker’s authority under the rules and practice of the House of Representatives.

      3. If a member with authority to act as Speaker performs any function or duty or exercises any power of the Speaker, the performance of the function or duty or the exercise of the power is conclusive evidence that the member is authorised to perform that function or duty or exercise that power.