- Synod arrangements: meetings and papers
- Business rules: Synod procedures, order of business etc
- Rules for tabling and circulating printed material
- Rules of debate: motions and amendments
- Questions
- Ordinance procedures during Synod sessions
Synod arrangements: meetings and papers
By section 1 of the 1902 Constitutions the members of the Anglican Church of Australia in the Diocese of Sydney are to meet in Synod at least once each year. The Synod is convened by summons of the Archbishop, or the Administrator if the See is vacant, stating the time and place of meeting.
The Archbishop's practice is to summon the Synod to meet for 4 or 5 days in September each year (from 2021). Those meetings are usually referred to as an "ordinary session" of the Synod. Special sessions of the Synod may be convened at other times, such as to appoint a new Archbishop if the See has become vacant.
About 6 weeks before the first day of an ordinary session, members of the Synod receive a circular containing the Archbishop's summons, general information about the session and the notice of the elections required to take place before or during the session.
Not less than 14 days (usually about 21 days) before the first day of an ordinary session, members of Synod receive a second circular containing further information about the session and the notice of the contested elections. The circular is accompanied by the business paper for the first day of the session, the Standing Committee's annual report and other reports and papers, including most of the proposed ordinances for the session.
Circulars, reports and other papers sent to members of the Synod or tabled at the Synod are usually published on this website shortly after they are sent or tabled.
It is customary for the Synod to commence business at about 3.15 pm. Otherwise the meeting times are set each day - usually 3.15 pm to 5.45 pm and 7 pm to 9.30 pm (or 10 pm).
In recent years some organisations have made requests to set up displays or distribute, sell or promote products and services outside the meeting place of the Synod. Any requests for this purpose should be directed to the Diocesan Secretary at first instance.
Business rules: Synod procedures, order of business etc
Generally
The rules for the conduct of the business of the Synod are found in the Schedule to the Synod Standing Orders Ordinance 2019. Special rules apply if the session of the Synod is convened to appoint a new Archbishop: see the Archbishop of Sydney Election Ordinance 1982.
Under the standing orders, the Synod operates on a parliamentary-style basis: the President is like the Speaker in Parliament and he hands over to a Chair of Committees at certain times to consider a matter on a less formal basis than the normal debating procedures allow.
The Archbishop, or the Administrator if the See is vacant, is the President of the Synod. If the Archbishop is absent, the President is the person appointed by the Archbishop as his commissary under section 11 of the Schedule to the 1902 Constitutions. In the absence of the Archbishop and his commissary, the President is the person next in ecclesiastical rank who is licensed in the Diocese and is present at the meeting of the Synod.
If the person who is the President is, for any reason, unwilling or unable (otherwise than by absence) to preside in respect of any business of the Synod, the President is the person next in ecclesiastical rank after that person who is licensed in the Diocese and is present at the meeting of the Synod.
Generally, the Synod transacts its business by passing or declining to pass motions. Only members of the Synod can move motions or speak and vote in debate. A member may only speak when called by the President to do so.
A member wishing to speak to a motion should attract the President's attention by standing in his or her place after the previous speaker has finished. After receiving the call to speak, a member should go to the nearest microphone, give his or her name and parish etc, and commence with "Mr President", or "Mr Chairman" if the Synod is in committee. Members are to be within the Synod meeting place (not in the public gallery or in the foyer) if they wish to speak or vote during debates.
Business papers
A business paper is prepared for each day of an ordinary session. The Standing Committee prepares the business paper for the first day of an ordinary session and it is sent to members of the Synod with the second circular for the session. Business papers for the second day of an ordinary session, and for subsequent meeting days, are prepared by the Committee for the Order of Business, which is elected on the first day of the session. The business paper for the second day, and for each subsequent meeting day, are provided to members as they enter the Synod meeting place at the beginning of the relevant day.
Order of business
The business papers are prepared in accordance with the rules for the order of business in the business rules.
For first day of an ordinary session the order of business is set out in rule 3.2 and is as follows -
(a) The President, or a person appointed by him, is to read prayers.
(b) The President is to table a list of the members of the Synod.
(c) The President may make a speech to the Synod.
(d) The President is to table a document appointing a commissary.
(e) The Synod is to consider any motion to declare a vacancy or vacancies among the membership of the Property Trust in accordance with the Anglican Church Property Trust Diocese of Sydney Ordinance 1965.
(f) The President is to table a list of the results of uncontested elections and declare the persons concerned elected.
(g) If it is the first session of a Synod, or there is a casual vacancy in any of the following offices or committees, the Synod is to consider motions for the election of -
- the Secretary of Synod
- the Chair of Committees
- the Deputy Chair or Chairs of Committees
- the Committee of Elections and Qualifications
- the Committee for the Order of Business
- the Minute Reading Committee.
(h) The minute book of the Standing Committee is to be tabled.
(i) The President is to allow members to present petitions.
(j) The President is to allow members to ask questions in accordance with rule 6.3.
(k) The President is to allow a member to give procedural motions and is to invite members to give notice of other motions.
(l) The President is to call the motions in the order in which they appear on the business paper in accordance with rule 4.5.
(m) The Synod is to consider motions for the formal reception and printing of reports, accounts and other documents in the order in which they appear on the business paper.
(n) The Synod is to consider motions for proposed ordinances which have been referred from a previous session of the Synod, or from a previous Synod, in the order in which they appear on the business paper, unless the Synod determines, by motion without notice, that those motions should be considered on a subsequent day.
(o) The Synod is to consider motions to be moved at the request of the Synod or the Standing Committee in the order in which they appear on the business paper.
(p) The Synod is to consider motions to be moved at the request of a regional council in the order in which they appear on the business paper.
(q) The Synod is to consider motions received by the Standing Committee from members in accordance with rule 4.3(3) in the order in which they were received.
For the second and third days of an ordinary session the order of business is set out in rule 3.3 and is as follows -
(a) The President, or a person appointed by him, is to read prayers.
(b) The President, or a person appointed by him, may read a passage from the Bible and apply it.
(c) The minutes of the proceedings of the previous day are to be signed by the President as a correct record, or be otherwise dealt with.
(d) Subject to rule 6.3(5), answers to questions asked on the previous day are to be given.
(e) The President is to allow members to ask questions in accordance with rule 6.3.
(f) The President is to allow members to give procedural motions and is to invite members to give notice of other motions.
(g) The President is to call the motions in the order in which they appear on the business paper in accordance with rule 4.5.
(h) The Synod is to consider motions about proposed ordinances in the order in which they appear on the business paper.
(i) The Synod is to consider other motions in the order in which they appear on the business paper.
The order of business for the fourth day of an ordinary session and for subsequent days is the same as that specified in rule 3.3 except that no member may ask a question or give notice of a motion except with the permission of the majority of the members of the Synod then present.
The legislative function of the Synod is given high priority in the order of business. Proposed ordinances generally take precedence although, under the business rules, no motion about an ordinance may be considered before 4.30 pm apart from the unopposed introduction of a proposed ordinance. The priority given to proposed ordinances often means that notices of motions about other matters accumulate until later in the session although the Synod often agrees to take important motions at agreed times.
Before any "orders of the day" or motions are considered each day, under rule 4.5 the President calls the motions in the order in which they appear on the business paper. If 8 or more members call "object" to any motion, or any 1 member calls "amendment", the motion is not taken formally. Otherwise it is moved formally (without the mover making a speech) and put to the Synod without any speeches or debate.
Any member who calls "amendment" is to deliver a written copy of the proposed amendment to the Secretary of the Synod and 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. If the mover, after discussing the proposed amendment, notifies the Secretary of the Synod that the mover wants to move the motion in an amended form, the amended form is to be printed on the next day's business paper.
Changing the order of business
Motions are to be considered in the order in which they appear on the business paper. However, the Synod may determine, as a result of a motion with or without notice passed by the Synod -
(a) to vary the order in which motions are considered, or
(b) to fix a time for when a motion is to be considered.
Rules for tabling and circulating printed material
Numerous reports and documents are tabled formally by the Secretary of Synod on the first day of an ordinary session. Otherwise the leave of the Synod is needed before a member can table and circulate printed material, and this entails 3 steps -
(a) Seeking the leave of Synod to move a motion without notice concerning the tabling of printed material and naming the printed material. This is best done at the end of the time for giving notices of motions on the first, second or third days of an ordinary session.
(b) If leave is granted, moving a motion to the effect of "Synod receives the ..... (name the printed material)". Motions of this type are usually moved formally but the mover has the right of reply to answer any opposition.
(c) Handing a copy of the printed material to the Secretary of the Synod.
Reports which have been tabled or which are scheduled for tabling, or material concerning elections or a matter which is on the business paper for the session, may be circulated in accordance with the following rules.
Circulating by mail
A member of Synod who wishes to circulate material which relates to the business of Synod, including a Synod election, may purchase a set of Synod members' mailing labels by making written request to the Diocesan Secretary. A written request may be made to the Diocesan Secretary by email at diocesansecretary@sydney.anglican.asn.au or by mail at PO Box Q190, QVB Post Office NSW 1230. The Diocesan Secretary will decline to provide mailing labels if he is not satisfied that the material relates to the business of Synod.
Circulating through the Synod papers tables
When printed material has been tabled, only 1 copy is required by the Secretary of the Synod and any additional copies supplied are placed on tables for members to take. About 50 copies would be adequate.
Making printed material available at Synod
With the Secretary of Synod's approval, after printed material has been tabled, copies may be made available to members in the foyer of the Synod meeting place. Up to 800 copies could be required but a high wastage factor applies. Approvals will be given on the basis of the applicant supplying labour to distribute the printed material in the foyer before a sitting or during the tea break of a sitting, and for those times only.
A member seeking to table and make available printed material should provide the required number of copies and must obtain any approvals from the holder of any copyright.
The Synod Secretary may also approve materials from a diocesan body or organisation not tabled at Synod being made available to members.
Rules of debate: motions and amendments
The following guidelines are suggested for the moving of motions -
(a) Rules 4.1 to 4.17 contain the general rules of debate in the Synod. Rule 4.18 is the rule for considering proposed policies. The stages for the consideration of proposed ordinances are in rules 5.1 to 5.11.
(b) Notices of motions to be included on the business paper for the first day of an ordinary session are to be in writing and be received by the Standing Committee (addressed to the Diocesan Secretary) not later than 1 month before the first day of the session. Under rule 4.3(3) a member of Synod may lodge up to 2 such motions.
(c) Any member of Synod may give notice of a further motion or motions to the Secretary of the Synod at the start of business on the first 3 days of an ordinary session.
(d) The subject matter of a motion should relate to the order and good government of the Church within the Diocese of Sydney, or the declaration of views on matters affecting the Anglican Church of Australia or affecting spiritual, moral or social welfare, otherwise it may be out of order.
(e) A notice of a motion should be brief and to the point, it should not contain argument, it should not have a long preamble or be written as a speech, and is not to contain material which is unbecoming or defamatory.
(f) If in doubt about the form of a motion, ask the Secretary of the Synod.
The Synod can deal with notices of motions which are doubtful in terms of the powers of the Synod, through at least two means in the business rules -
(a) The Synod can resolve "that the motion not be voted on" (rule 4.14).
(b) Points of order can be taken if it is thought that a motion is irregular.
Rule 4.9 deals with amendments to motions.
Time limits for speeches
Under rules 4.6(1) the following time limits for speeches apply.
For a motion that a proposed ordinance be approved in principle
the mover - up to 15 minutes and up to 5 minutes in reply
other members - up to 5 minutes
For other motions, except procedural motions, motions to amend a motion, and motions moved in a meeting of the Synod in Committee
the mover - up to 10 minutes and up to 5 minutes in reply
other members - up to 5 minutes
For procedural motions and for motions moved to amend a motion
all members - up to 5 minutes
For motions moved in a meeting of the Synod in Committee
all members - up to 3 minutes
These time limits can be extended by a procedural motion moved by a member who is not the speaker at the time.
Questions
Rule 6.3 deals with questions.
A question may be asked by any member. When called by the President the member is to make a brief statement informing the Synod of the subject matter of the question and to hand the full text of the question to the Secretary or to one of the clerks.
Answers to questions are read orally to the Synod by the President on the next day or as soon as convenient after the next day. As soon as possible a written copy is to be -
(a) handed to the person who asked the question, and
(b) posted on a notice board in a prominent position in or near the building in which the Synod is meeting.
The practice of asking questions is intended to provide an opportunity of obtaining facts on public matters and public policy. For this reason, a question is to relate to a matter connected with the business of -
(a) the Synod, or
(b) any committee, board or commission of the Synod or established by or under an ordinance or resolution of the Synod or the Standing Committee.
No question is to -
(a) contain an assertion, or
(b) express an opinion, or
(c) offer an argument, or
(d) make any inference or imputation, or
(e) be expressed in language which, in the opinion of the President, is disrespectful or offensive, or
(f) seek a legal opinion.
Ordinance procedures during Synod sessions
The ordinance procedures are in rules 5.1 to 5.11. A proposed ordinance can be considered over several days, with the following stages -
(a) the introduction of the proposed ordinance,
(b) approving the proposed ordinance in principle,
(c) consideration of the text of the proposed ordinance,
(d) passing the proposed ordinance.
Where there is no objection, a proposed ordinance can be passed formally.
Introduction of the proposed ordinance: rule 5.3(1)
Step 1: Mover -
"That Synod agrees to consider [at a specified time] a motion that the [name of the proposed ordinance] be approved in principle."
(If carried, continue at step 7 at the time specified in the motion.)
Passing the proposed ordinance formally (rules 5.3(2) and 5.4)
Step 2: Mover -
"That Synod agrees to consider passing the proposed ordinance formally."
(If this motion is carried, rule 5.4(1) permits the mover to immediately make a speech for no longer than 3 minutes about the proposed ordinance.)
Step 3: President -
"Does any member have a question about the proposed ordinance?"
(If a member has a question, then a time for questions follows. Under rule 5.4(4) a question is to be answered by the mover or seconder unless the President allows another person to answer the question. If no member indicates they have a question, the time for questions will be regarded as having ended. Go to step 5.)
Step 4: If the President thinks sufficient time has been allowed for questions but there remains one or more members indicating a wish to ask a question, he asks -
"Does the Synod consider that sufficient time has been given for questions?"
(If the majority of members present answer "Aye", the time for questions will be regarded as having ended. Go immediately to step 6. If the majority of members present answer "No", go back to steps 3 and 4.)
Step 5: Mover -
"That the [name of the proposed ordinance] pass formally as an ordinance of the Synod."
(If prior to this motion being voted on, 8 members stand in their place to object to the proposed ordinance being passed formally, or the motion is not passed, go immediately to step 6. If the motion in step 5 is passed the proposed ordinance has been passed as an ordinance of the Synod. As soon as possible thereafter the Secretary of the Synod is to send an original copy of the ordinance, duly certified, to the Archbishop for his assent.)
Step 6: Mover -
"That Synod agrees to consider [on a specified future day/on a specified future day and at a specified time] a motion that the [name of the proposed ordinance] be approved in principle."
(If carried, continue at step 7 on the specified future day at the specified time)
Approving the proposed ordinance in principle (rule 5.3(4))
Step 7: Mover -
"That the [name of the proposed ordinance] be approved in principle."
(The motion is to be moved and seconded, and the mover and seconder permitted to speak.)
Step 8: President -
"Does any member have a question about the proposed ordinance?"
(If a member has a question, then a time for questions follows. Under rule 5.5(4) a question is to be answered by the mover or seconder unless the President allows another person to answer the question.)
Step 9: When the President thinks sufficient time has been allowed for questions he asks -
"Does the Synod consider that sufficient time has been allowed for questions?"
(If the majority of members present answer "Aye" the time for questions will be regarded as having ended. Go immediately to step 11. If the majority of members present answer "No", go back to steps 8 and 9.)
Step 10: President -
"Does any member wish to speak against the motion, or move an amendment to it?"
(If a member indicates that he or she wishes to speak against the motion or move an amendment, the President is to allow debate on the motion to proceed. Otherwise the motion referred to in step 7 is to be put. If the motion is carried, go immediately to step 11.)
Step 11: President -
"Does any member wish to move an amendment to the text of the proposed ordinance?"
(If a member indicates to the President that he or she wishes to make an amendment, go to step 12. Otherwise, go immediately to step 15.)
Considering the text of the proposed ordinance (rule 5.6)
Step 12: Either immediately, or at another time determined by the Synod, the Mover moves -
"That Synod resolves itself into the Synod in Committee to consider the text of the [name of the proposed ordinance]."
(The committee stage follows after which the Chair of Committees reports the bill "with amendment" or "without amendment".)
Step 13: Mover -
"That the report of the Committee be adopted."
(If the proposed ordinance passed committee stage with amendment go to step 15. If no amendment was made during the committee stage, the mover may go to step 15 unless 8 members object - in which case go to step 14.)
Step 14: Mover -
"That Synod agrees to consider [on a specified future day/on a specified future day and at a specified time] a motion that the [name of the proposed ordinance] pass as an ordinance of the Synod.".
(If carried, continue to step 15 on the specified future day at the specified time, if any.)
Passing the proposed ordinance (rule 5.7)
Step 15: Mover -
"That the [name of the proposed ordinance] pass as an ordinance of the Synod."
(Under rule 5.8 at any time before the Synod passes the motion the Synod may, as a result of a motion with or without notice passed by the Synod, refer the proposed ordinance, or any clause of the proposed ordinance, or any amendment, to the Synod in Committee for consideration. Rules 5.6, 5.7 and 5.8 then apply, so far as they are relevant.)
If the motion in step 15 is passed the proposed ordinance has been passed as an ordinance of the Synod. As soon as possible thereafter the Secretary of the Synod is to send an original copy of the ordinance, duly certified, to the Archbishop for his assent.
Procedures for proposed policies
The procedures for considering a proposed policy of the Synod are the same as those that apply to ordinances except that the procedures -
-
start from rule 5.5 (considering the policy in principle)
-
exclude rules 5.7(3)(b), 5.9 and 5.10 (dealing with the Archbishop's assent to ordinances)
Other Matters
There are a few other matters for the mover of a proposed bill to remember.
(a) Speeches are not normally made in respect of a motion referred to in step 1, 6, 13 or 16 above.
(b) If time is short, under rule 6.5 and without notice, it is possible to move a motion to the effect of-
"Synod suspends so much of the business rules as would preclude the [name of the proposed ordinance] passing at this sitting."
If the motion is carried, the mover should proceed with the rest of the motions in sequence. A proposed ordinance cannot proceed in this way if 8 members of Synod object.
Current as at 3 May 2021
The contents of this document are for general information only. No person should rely on the contents of this document without first obtaining advice from a qualified professional person. Neither the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney nor any organisation thereof is responsible for the results of any action taken on the basis of the contents of this document, nor for any error in or omission from this document.