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Parliament Act 2025

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

49: Member with authority to act as Speaker

You could also call this:

"Someone to Fill in as Speaker When Needed"

Illustration for Parliament Act 2025

You can have a special member act as the Speaker if the Speaker's job is empty or they are not working. This special member can do the Speaker's jobs, follow the rules, and make decisions as stated in the Parliament Act 2025 and the Public Finance Act 1989. They get this authority from the House of Representatives. You become this special member if the House of Representatives chooses you to act as the Speaker. When you act as the Speaker, you can do the Speaker's jobs and make decisions, and it is assumed you have the authority to do so. If you are acting as the Speaker and you do something, it means you are allowed to do it, as stated in the rules of the House of Representatives and the law.

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

"Deputy Speaker can fill in for the Speaker in some situations"

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

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

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

49Member 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.