1.1.1 Members of the popularly elected or only house shall be elected by direct universal and equal suffrage in a free and secret ballot.
1.1.2 Legislative elections shall meet international standards for genuine and transparent elections.
1.1.3 Term lengths for members of the popular house shall reflect the need for accountability through regular and periodic legislative elections.
1.2.1 Restrictions on candidate eligibility shall not be based on religion, gender,
Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory - comments
Fixed term elections (held every four years)
ethnicity, race or disability. 1.2.2 Special measures to encourage the political participation of marginalized groups shall be narrowly drawn to accomplish precisely defined, and time-limited, objectives.
1.3.1 No elected member shall be required to take a religious oath against his or her conscience in order to take his or her seat in the legislature.
1.3.2 In a bicameral legislature, a legislator may not be a member of both houses.
1.3.3 A legislator may not simultaneously serve in the judicial branch or as a civil servant of the executive branch. 1.4.1 Legislators shall have immunity for anything said in the course of the proceedings of legislature.
1.4.2 Parliamentary immunity shall not extend beyond the term of office; but a former legislator shall continue to enjoy protection for his or her term of office. 1.4.3 The executive branch shall have no right or power to lift the immunity of a legislator.
1.4.4 Legislators must be able to carry out their legislative and constitutional functions in accordance with the constitution, free from interference. 1.5.1 The legislature shall provide proper remuneration and reimbursement of
parliamentary expenses to legislators for their service, and all forms of compensation shall be allocated on a nonpartisan basis. 1.6.1 Legislators shall have the right to resign their seats.
1.7.1 The legislature shall have adequate physical infrastructure to enable members and staff to fulfil their responsibilities.
There are no special measures in place of this nature
Members can take an oath or a secular affirmation
n/a - the Assembly is unicameral
Parliamentary privilege applies to MLAs
2.1.1 Only the legislature may adopt and amend its rules of procedure. 2.2.1 The legislature shall select or elect presiding officers pursuant to criteria and procedures clearly defined in the rules of procedure.
This is a difficult area to operationalise and relates to the Latimer House principles. However, the Assembly has adequate physical infrastructure (i.e. a building and associated facilities which provides a suitable venue for the Assembly and its committees).
2.3.1 The legislature shall meet regularly, at intervals sufficient to fulfil its responsibilities. 2.3.2 The legislature shall have procedures for calling itself into regular session. 2.3.3 The legislature shall have procedures for calling itself into extraordinary or special session.
2.3.4 Provisions for the executive branch to convene a special session of the legislature shall be clearly specified.
There is a requirement for 9 members of the Assembly to agree to a special sitting of the Assembly proceeding (i.e. an absolute majority)
2.4.1 Legislators shall have the right to vote to amend the proposed agenda for debate. 2.4.2 Legislators in the lower or only house shall have the right to initiate legislation and to offer amendments to proposed legislation.
2.4.3 The legislature shall give legislators adequate advance notice of session meetings and the agenda for the meeting.