Queensland Numbered Acts

PARLIAMENT OF QUEENSLAND (REFORM AND MODERNISATION) AMENDMENT ACT 2011 No. 15 - SECT 41

Chapter 5—

insert—

'The Ethics Committee is established.

'The committee comprises 6 members, being—

(a) 3 members nominated by the Leader of the House; and

(b) 3 members nominated by the Leader of the Opposition.

'The chairperson of the committee is to be the member of the committee nominated as chairperson by the Leader of the House.

'At a meeting of the committee—

(a) a quorum is 4 members; and

(b) a question is decided by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting; and

(c) each member has a vote on each question to be decided and, if the votes are equal, the chairperson has a casting vote.

'The committee has the following areas of responsibility—

* dealing with complaints about the ethical conduct of particular members

* dealing with alleged breaches of parliamentary privilege by members of the Assembly and other persons.

'(1) The committee's area of responsibility about dealing with complaints about the ethical conduct of particular members is to—

(a) consider complaints referred to the committee about particular members failing to register particular interests; and

(b) consider complaints against particular members for failing to comply with the code of ethical conduct for members, report on complaints to the Assembly and recommend action by the Assembly.

'(2) A complaint about a member not complying with the code of ethical conduct for members may be considered only by the Assembly or the committee.

'(3) Subsection (2) has effect despite any other law, but the subsection does not apply to a court, tribunal or other entity if the entity may, under a law, consider an issue and the issue that is considered involves the commission, or claimed or suspected commission, of a criminal offence.

'(4) Subsection (3) does not limit or otherwise affect the powers, rights and immunities of the Assembly and its committees and members.'.