No 37, 1998

An Ordinance to amend the Standing Orders Ordinance 1968.

The Synod of the Diocese of Sydney Ordains as follows -

Name

1. This Ordinance is the Standing Orders Ordinance 1968 Amendment Ordinance 1998.

Commencement

2. This Ordinance commences on the last to occur of -

(a) the day immediately after the last day of the 3rd session of the 44th Synod; and

(b) the date upon which this Ordinance receives the Archbishop’s assent.

Amendment

3. The Schedule to the Standing Orders Ordinance 1968 is amended as follows -

(a) in clause 9 after paragraph (m), a new paragraph (ma) is inserted as follows -

"(ma) Motions by request of a Regional Council.";

(b) in clause 10 the words “to the Secretaries” are inserted after the words “in writing”;

(c) in clause 12 -

(i) the matter “(1)” is inserted before the word “Before”; and

(ii) at the end of the clause the following is inserted -

“(2) On the first occasion that a call is made of a Motion under subclause (1), a person other than the mover may instead of ‘Object’, call ‘Amendment’. If a call of ‘Amendment’ is made -

(a) the person making the call must hand a written copy of the proposed Amendment to the Secretaries; and

(b) the person making the call must make himself or herself available to discuss the proposed Amendment with the mover of the Motion on the day on which the call is made.

(3) If on the day a call is made under subclause (2) the mover of the Motion notifies the Secretaries that as a result of the proposed Amendment, the mover wants the Synod to consider the Motion in an amended form, the Synod shall be taken to have given leave for the Motion to be moved in that amended form and thereafter the Secretaries may print the Motion in its amended form in the Business Paper.

(d) clause 27 is omitted and the following is inserted instead-

"Questions

27. (1) A question complying with this Standing Order may be asked orally of the President by any member of Synod at the appropriate time set out in these Standing Orders. A member of Synod, may, if he or she considers it appropriate, hand a written notice of a question to a Secretary of Synod or some other person to be read to the Synod on his or her behalf.

(2) A question must relate -

(a) to any matter connected with the business of the Synod; or

(b) any committee, board or commission of the Synod or established by or under an ordinance or resolution of the Synod.

(3) A question must not -

(a) contain a statement of fact; or

(b) express an opinion or offer an argument; or

(c) make any inference or imputation; or

(d) be expressed in language which, in the opinion of the President, is disrespectful or offensive; or

(e) seek a legal opinion.

(4) A reply to a question shall be given orally to the synod and shall be posted as soon as possible by -

(a) handing a copy of the reply to the person asking the question; and

(b) posting a copy of the reply on a notice board in a prominent position in or near the building in which the Synod is meeting provided that should the answer involve statistics or other detailed material, the answer may be supplemented with a document.

(5) It shall not be necessary for a person asking a question to be present in synod when the question is answered, but the President, or some other person on his behalf may read the question to the synod before the answer.

(6) Each question and the reply to that question shall be recorded in the proceedings of Synod.

(e) clause 39 is amended -

(i) by omitting the words “or ask any question”;

(ii) by inserting the words “to the Secretaries” after the matter “(in duplicate)”); and

(iii) by inserting the following sentence at the end -

“No notice of motion may be given after the 3rd day of a session of Synod except by leave of the majority of the Members then present.”;

(f) in clause 40 the words “or a Question may be asked” are omitted.

I Certify that the Ordinance as printed is in accordance with the Ordinance as reported.

N.M. CAMERON
Chairman of Committees

We Certify that this Ordinance was passed by the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney on 12 October 1998.

M.A. PAYNE
C.J. MORONEY
Secretaries of Synod

I Assent to this Ordinance.

R.H. GOODHEW
Archbishop of Sydney
29/10/1998