Recall of MPs Bill 2014-15

The Recall of MPs Bill 2014-15 was introduced on 11 September 2014, and is scheduled to be debated on second reading on 14 October. There was a commitment to legislate to introduce a power of recall in the Coalition Agreement, and a draft bill was scrutinised by the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee in 2012.

The Bill provides that a recall petition will be triggered if a Member is sentenced to a prison term or suspended from the House for at least 21 sitting days (28 calendar days, if not specified in terms of sitting days). If either occurs, then the Speaker gives notice to a petition officer, who in turn gives notice to parliamentary electors in the constituency. A petition is open for signing for eight weeks. If at the end of that period at least 10 per cent of eligible electors have signed the petition, the seat is declared vacant and a by-election follows. The Member who was recalled can stand in the by-election. The Bill introduces rules on the conduct of the recall petition, including campaign spending limits for those supporting and opposing recalling the Member.