The Clerk

Who is the Clerk?

The Clerk of the House is the most senior non-elected officer of the House of Representatives.

The Clerk is appointed by the Speaker. The person appointed as Clerk of the House must have extensive knowledge of parliamentary law and practice. The Clerk and his or her Deputies serve the House, not the Government of the day, and are expected to deal with all Members impartially.

What does the Clerk do?

The Clerk of the House advises the Speaker and Members on House standing orders, practice and procedure.

When the House is sitting, the Clerk sits at the end of the Table in front of the Speaker’s Chair. The Clerk may be called upon at any time to give procedural advice so he or she must pay close attention to what is going on.

As well as being a specialist in parliamentary rules, practice and customs, the Clerk of the House also administers the Department of the House of Representatives.

The origins of the office of Clerk

The Clerk of the House originated in the UK Parliament. The first recorded appointment of a Clerk dates to 1363. At that time, the word ‘clerk’ simply meant a person who was able to read and write. As many of the Members could not read, it was the clerk’s job to read documents such as petitions and bills to the House.