The Speaker (currently the Honourable John Mickel MP) is the Member of Parliament elected by the House to preside over sittings of the Legislative Assembly and to maintain orderly proceedings. The Speaker is supported in his role by officers of the Parliamentary Service, including the Clerk of the Parliament, the Sergeant at Arms and Hansard reporters.

After a general election and at the beginning of the first parliamentary sitting day, a Member is elected by secret ballot to the position. Normally, the Government's nominee is successful, since the Government controls the numbers in the House.

The office of Speaker is an ancient one dating back to the early English Parliaments in the 14th century. Unlike the Speaker of the British House of Commons, the Speaker of the Queensland Parliament does not resign from his/her political party and is still required to contest elections.

As the chief presiding officer of the Parliament, the Speaker chairs the debates and enforces the rules (known as Standing Orders) to ensure orderly conduct in the Chamber. In both instances, the Speaker is expected to demonstrate impartiality. However, the Speaker may participate in debates and in a tied voting situation has a casting vote.

The Speaker enjoys considerable powers within a parliamentary jurisdiction and can issue by-election writs, warrants for parliamentary privilege offenders and, if necessary, have brought before the bar of the Parliament such offenders for rebuke or sentence.

Administratively, the Speaker has control of the Parliamentary Service and is responsible for the Parliament's policies, budget, services and administration.

Source: Parliamentary website (public domain document)

[edit] Speakers of the Queensland Legislative Assembly

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Parliament