NSW Primary Schools Sports Association – Handbook
Section 2 – Standing orders
Amended 2013
2.1 Standing orders
2.1.1 Meeting procedures
The order of business shall be:
(a) Apologies.
(b) Reading and confirmation of minutes.
(c) Business arising out of minutes.
(d) Executive report.
(e) Motions of which due notice has been given at previous Council meeting or in writing to all members.
(f) Financial statement.
(g) Correspondence.
(h) Business arising from correspondence.
(i) Reports.
(j) General business.
(k) Receipt of Notices of Motion.
2.1.2 Quorum
The attendance of a representative from at least half plus one of the affiliated Associations shall constitute the quorum for Council meetings. Should no quorum be present within fifteen (15) minutes of the time set down for the meeting – the meeting shall lapse.
2.1.3 Times for speakers
The speakers moving motions shall be allowed five minutes, subsequent speakers three minutes, mover in reply three minutes, subject in each case to the right of one extension. Extension of time, when granted, shall be by vote of Council. No single extension of time shall exceed the original time allotted to a speaker.
2.1.4 Variation of order of business
The Chair may, at his/her discretion, accept at any time a motion to vary the order of business; such motion to be carried shall have the support of at least three-fifths of those voting.
2.2 Motions
2.2.1 Motions and amendments
All motions and amendments, except formal motions, such as adjournments, must be handed to the Chair, if he/she so desires, in writing prior to the mover speaking thereon. Motions or notices of motion lost cannot be represented for a minimum period of twelve months.
2.2.2 Point of order
No member, when speaking, shall be interrupted, unless a point of order is raised, when he/she shall sit down and the member raising the point shall first state his/her point of order and the Chair may then either hear that member on the point, hear further discussion, or decide at that stage, but such points shall be decided before the debate proceeds.
2.2.3 Speakers alternately for and against
After a motion has been duly moved and seconded, speakers shall only be heard alternately against and for the motion, excepting for the purpose of moving or seconding any amendment or further amendment, and failing any member rising for the other side, the motion shall be put or otherwise determined by the New South Wales Primary Sports Association Council.
2.3 Amendments
The questions having been proposed it may be amended by leaving out, substitution or adding words, or by the moving of alternate proposals providing that it does not negate the original intent of the motion.
2.3.1 Further amendments
During the debate following the first amendment, it shall be competent for members to move or second further amendments. It shall be in order at any stage during the debate for a member to move that the motion and/or amendment(s) be referred to a committee for consideration and report to the New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association Council.
2.3.2 Right to speak to an amendment
A member who has moved, seconded or spoken to an original motion or amendment shall not move or second an amendment to it, but he/she may speak to an amendment moved and seconded by other members.
2.3.3 Members may speak only once to a motion or an amendment
No member shall speak more than once to a motion or an amendment without the consent of the meeting, and then only providing that he/she addresses himself/herself to the removal of a misunderstanding in regard to some material part of his/her speech, but no new matter may be introduced therein. Any member proposing a motion or amendment pro forma, shall be held to have spoken.
2.3.4 Right of reply
The mover of the original motion shall have the right of reply.
2.3.5 Further discussion
No further discussion shall be allowed or questions asked after the mover of the original motion has replied.
2.3.6 Submission of motion and/or amendment(s)
Once the mover has replied the question shall be submitted to the vote, the amendments being put to the meeting in the order of their submission.
2.4 Discussion
2.4.1 Member must rise and address the chair
Any member desiring to propose a motion or an amendment, or to discuss any matter under consideration, must rise and address the Chair.
2.4.2 Chair rising to speak
When the Chair rises during the debate, the member then speaking or proposing to speak shall sit down, so that the Chair shall be heard without interruption.
2.5 Variations
2.5.1 Submission of motion and/or amendment(s)
Once the mover has replied to the question shall be submitted to the vote, the amendments being put to the meeting in the order of their submission.
2.5.2 Division
Immediately the debate on a question is concluded, the Chair shall submit it and it shall be resolved in the affirmative or negative on the voices. If demanded a show of hands shall be taken. If at least twenty (20) members signify their desire for a division by standing, the doors shall be closed and the meeting shall divide.
2.5.3 Question be now put
It shall be in order to move, without discussion, when no other speaker is addressing the Chair, `That the question to be now put'. On being duly seconded and carried, it shall entail the submission of the motion at once to the meeting after the mover has replied. The motion may not be moved by any member who has previously spoken upon the question under discussion.
2.5.4 Next business
When a motion or an amendment is under discussion it shall be competent for any member, other than those who have already spoken to such motion or amendment, to move that the meeting proceed to the next business. No amendment to this motion shall be accepted, nor shall the mover have a right of reply.
2.5.5 Dissent from chair's ruling
Any member dissatisfied with the Chair's ruling may move a motion of dissent in the following terms
'That the Chair's ruling be dissented from'. In such cases, only the mover shall be permitted to speak, except the Chair who may subsequently state his/her reasons for the ruling given. No seconder to the motion is required. The motion shall be put to the meeting by the Deputy Chair, without further discussions in the following form
`The motion is that the Chair's ruling is upheld'. The Chair must vacate the Chair during the discussion of this motion.
2.5.6 Chair privilege
When on the floor, the Chair shall enjoy the privilege and be subject to the same rules as other members of the Council. He/she shall not return to the Chair until the motion has been resolved.
2.5.7 Re-committal
It shall be competent to re-commit any motion at the same session on an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those present. Such re-committal shall take the form of putting the vote again, no further debate shall be allowed.
2.5.8 Rescission
A notice of motion to rescind must be submitted in writing to the Senior Education Officer. Such a notice must be signed by three members of council and shall be submitted at least one month prior to a meeting. Any such motion shall be included on the Agenda of that meeting. Any such motion must be presented within twelve months of the original motion and must be passed by a 2/3 majority.
2.5.9 Disobedience of standing orders
Any member of the New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association Council who disobeys Standing Orders, or in any way disregards instructions from the Chair, shall, after being warned, be named by the Chair. If after being named, any member persists in such conduct, the Chair shall call upon the senior Executive member present to move the suspension of such member. The member concerned shall have the right to speak to the motion, but otherwise it shall be put without discussion. Should the motion be carried the offending member shall be suspended for the remainder of the session or until an apology is made.
2.5.10 Censure
Censure is an extreme form of criticism of the officer. It does not imply that the officer should resign.
2.5.11 No-confidence
(a) That the meeting no longer has confidence in the chair. The chair is removed for the meeting.
(b) That the Association no longer has confidence in the chair. The Association elects a new Chair.
2.5.12 Length of meeting
Meeting of the Council shall commence at 9.30 am and conclude no later than 3.30 pm with a fifteen (15) minute recess being taken in the morning session and a one hour period being taken for lunch. The length of any meeting of the New South Wales Primary Schools Association Council can be extended by up to one hour by decision of a simple majority of those present at any time during the meeting to be so extended.
2.6 Elections
2.6.1 Committee
(a) Any meeting of the Council of New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association, either before proceeding to consider any matter, or during the consideration of such matter, may, on a motion to that effect, resolve itself into committee of the whole for consideration of such matter.
(b) Such motion may be moved without notice, and on being seconded shall be put to the meeting without debate.
(c) The meeting shall be deemed to be in committee only during the consideration of the matters specified in the motion.
(d) While in committee there shall be no limit to the number of times a member may address the Chair, but a member shall not speak for more than three minutes at any one time.
2.6.2 Conduct of election
The members of the Executive and the holders of other positions to be determined by New South Wales Primary Schools Sports Association Council from time to time shall be elected by preferential ballot.
2.6.3 Nominations for election of executive
Executive members shall be elected at a ballot conducted in accordance with the Constitution and these Standing Orders. Before the ballot is conducted nominations will have been received and a list of nominees will have been circulated. No one person will be able to hold more than one Executive position at any one time.