Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

PARLIAMENTARY WORKPLACE SUPPORT SERVICE ACT 2023 - SECT 59

Membership

  (1)   The PWSS Consultative Committee consists of the following members:

  (a)   a Chair, who must be an independent member;

  (b)   one other member who is an independent member;

  (c)   an equal number of:

  (i)   members who are parliamentarians; and

  (ii)   members who are MOPS employees.

Note:   In this Act, independent member means a member of the PWSS Consultative Committee who is not a parliamentarian or a MOPS employee--see section   5.

PWSS rules may provide for matters relating to the PWSS Consultative Committee

  (2)   The PWSS rules may make provision for or in relation to the PWSS Consultative Committee, including for or in relation to the following:

  (a)   operation and procedures of the committee;

  (b)   membership of the committee (subject to subsection   (1));

  (c)   appointment of members;

  (d)   terms of appointment of members;

  (e)   remuneration of independent members;

  (f)   resignation of members;

  (g)   disclosure of interests by members;

  (h)   termination of appointment of members;

  (i)   leave of absence of members;

  (j)   deputies of members.

Independent members

  (3)   PWSS rules made for the purposes of subsection   (2) must require that, in appointing a person (the appointee ) as an independent member, the person making the appointment must have regard to the independence of the appointee from:

  (a)   parliamentarians; and

  (b)   MOPS employees; and

  (c)   registered political parties (within the meaning of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 ); and

  (d)   the PWSS and the PWSS Advisory Board.

Other matters relating to appointments

  (4)   PWSS rules made for the purposes of subsection   (2) must require that, in appointing a person as a member of the PWSS Consultative Committee, the person making the appointment must have regard to the desirability of ensuring that:

  (a)   there is representation among members of the PWSS Consultative Committee by the following:

  (i)   persons who represent the views of the Government;

  (ii)   persons who represent the views of Parliamentary parties that do not form part of the Government and have at least 5 members who are senators or members of the House of Representatives;

  (iii)   persons who do not represent the views of the Government or Parliamentary parties to which subparagraph   (ii) applies; and

  (b)   the PWSS Consultative Committee is comprised of members of different genders.

Minister must consult CEO before making PWSS rules

  (5)   Before making PWSS rules for the purposes of subsection   (2), the Minister must consult the CEO on the proposed PWSS rules.