Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

What I will say to the Leader of the House is that I think I've answered the question as completely as I can. Section 37 of the Constitution makes it very clear how a resignation occurs, and I've just pulled it out while the Leader of the House has been talking. I will read it to the House:

A member may by writing addressed to the Speaker, or to the Governor-General if there is no Speaker or if the Speaker is absent from the Commonwealth, resign his place, which thereupon shall become vacant.

Until any member does that, they remain a member of parliament. That's not a matter for Practice. That is in the Australian Constitution. If I've got anything to say on the other matters, of course, I'd report that back to the House. But certainly, in terms of electorate offices and the like, those are matters for the government, so the Leader of the House may wish to take that up with the Special Minister of State.

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