Queensland Parliament dissolved for State Election

The Queensland State election was called on 29 October 2017 with the effect of dissolving the Legislative Assembly (Parliament). All of the committees of the Parliament (other than the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee) have now ceased and all Bills before the Parliament that had not yet been passed have now lapsed.

Implications

• All committee inquiries in progress lapsed upon the dissolution of the Parliament.
• All Bills that have been introduced in the Parliament but were not yet passed automatically lapsed upon the dissolution. Bills may or may not be reintroduced in the next Parliament.
• At some time after the State election, a new Parliament will commence and new committees will be appointed. The date of commencement is not yet known.
• For some inquiries, the new committee will have the power to decide whether to continue an inquiry commenced before the dissolution.
• For Bill inquiries, it will be a matter for the new Parliament whether to make a fresh referral to a committee of any re-introduced Bill.
• If a new committee continues an inquiry commenced before the dissolution, it can have regard to evidence and submissions received by its predecessor committee.

Authored by:
Stafford Hopewell, Partner, Brisbane
Elton Morais, Senior Associate, Brisbane