Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated ActsWhere either House of the Parliament is dissolved, or the House of Representatives expires, the person, if any, who was the Presiding Officer of that House immediately before the dissolution or expiry shall, for the purposes of the exercise of any powers or functions by the Presiding Officer of that House under a law of the Commonwealth, be deemed to continue to be the Presiding Officer of that House until a Presiding Officer is chosen by that House.