Federal Executive Council Handbook 2021

Federal Executive Council Handbook 2021

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Federal Executive Council Handbook 2021 ? Commonwealth of Australia 2021 978-1-925364-53-8 Federal Executive Handbook 2021 (online) Copyright Notice With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0) ( ).

Third party copyright Wherever a third party holds copyright in this material, the copyright remains with that party. Their permission may be required to use the material. Please contact them directly. Attribution This publication should be attributed as follows: ? Commonwealth of Australia, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Federal Executive Council Handbook 2021 Use of the Coat of Arms The terms under which the Coat of Arms can be used are detailed on the following website: Other uses Enquiries regarding this document are welcome at: exco@.au

Federal Executive Council

Handbook 2021

Foreword

The Federal Executive Council Handbook is produced for departmental officers and ministerial staff as an aid in the preparation of papers for consideration by the Governor-General in Council. This edition supersedes the 2019 version of the Handbook and incorporates information subsequently issued through circulars by the Executive Council Secretariat. The Handbook outlines the diverse nature of matters submitted to the Executive Council and the form in which these matters are presented to the Governor-General and his Executive Councillors. All papers prepared for the Executive Council must be high quality; it is essential that they are accurate, reflect the Governor-General's constitutional or legislative powers, and clearly set out the recommendations being made. The Executive Council Liaison Officer in each Australian Government Department is the first point of contact for officials who are preparing draft papers for the Executive Council. The Executive Council Secretariat within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet performs an important role managing the quality and timeliness of these papers and is available to advise and assist with any procedural or presentational questions you may have.

Paul Singer MVO Official Secretary to the Governor-General

PM&C | CABINET DIVISION | FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HANDBOOK 2021

Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 The Handbook ........................................................................................................ 1 The Federal Executive Council ............................................................................... 1 Other References ................................................................................................... 2

The Federal Executive Council ................................................................................... 3 What is the Federal Executive Council?.................................................................3 Meetings of the Federal Executive Council ........................................................... 4 The `caretaker' period............................................................................................5 Recommendations to the Federal Executive Council ............................................ 7 Deadlines................................................................................................................ 8 Late items...............................................................................................................8 Special meetings .................................................................................................... 9 Clearance of drafts and final documents...............................................................9 Withdrawal of papers .......................................................................................... 10 Ministerial changes affecting Executive Council documents .............................. 10 Documents contingent on assent to legislation .................................................. 11 Preparing documents for the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth.................................................................................................... 12

The Document Package ........................................................................................... 13 The standard set of documents ........................................................................... 13 Minutes ................................................................................................................ 13 Instruments .......................................................................................................... 13 Explanatory memoranda ..................................................................................... 14 Signing and initialling by the responsible minister .............................................. 16 Alterations to documents .................................................................................... 18 Numbering, making copies, and assembling documents .................................... 19 Explanatory statements ....................................................................................... 19

PM&C | CABINET DIVISION | FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HANDBOOK 2021

Preparing Specific documents ................................................................................. 20 Appointments ...................................................................................................... 20 Acting appointments............................................................................................22 Resignations and terminations ............................................................................ 23 Commissions (other than Defence Force Commissions) ..................................... 24 Defence Force Commissions ................................................................................ 24 Legislative instruments, notifiable instruments and other instruments.............25 Regulations and ordinances.................................................................................25 Proclamations ...................................................................................................... 26 Treaties ................................................................................................................ 27 Documents involving Federal and state Executive Councils................................27 Repeal, rescission, revocation, amendment and variation of instruments......... 28

Action Following Federal Executive Council Consideration.....................................29 The Great Seal ...................................................................................................... 29 Registration of legislative and notifiable instruments.........................................29 Gazettal or other publications requirements for instruments ............................ 30 Announcements ................................................................................................... 30 Return of documents to departments.................................................................31

Access to Federal Executive Council Records .......................................................... 32 Application of the Freedom of Information Act 1982..........................................32

PM&C | CABINET DIVISION | FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HANDBOOK 2021

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