Queensland Cabinet Handbook

The Queensland Cabinet Handbook is part of the Governing Queensland suite of handbooks.

The handbook outlines the procedures and conventions for the operation of the Queensland Cabinet.

Summary

Details the entire Cabinet process from preparation, lodgement and consideration of Cabinet business to maintenance of Cabinet records.

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Table of contents

• Introduction
• Foreword
• The Process of Cabinet
  • 1.1 Principles of Cabinet
  • 1.2 The Cabinet and collective responsibility
  • 1.3 Ministers
  • 1.4 The Governor
  • 1.5 Matters for consideration by Cabinet
  • 1.6 Matters to Note
  • 1.7 Definition of Cabinet documents
• Roles and responsibilities
  • 2.1 Ministers
  • 2.2 Officials attending Cabinet
  • 2.3 Policy Division
  • 2.4 Cabinet Secretary (Secretariat)
  • 2.5 Cabinet Legislation and Liaison Officers
  • 2.6 Executive Council
  • 2.7 Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel
  • 2.8 Parliamentary Secretaries
• Committees
  • 3.1 Cabinet Committees
  • 3.2 Cabinet Budget Review Committee
  • 3.3 Interdepartmental committees
  • 3.4 Parliamentary Committees
  • 3.5 Ministerial Councils
• Procedures
  • 4.1 Notification of Cabinet Meetings
  • 4.2 Cabinet Timetable
  • 4.3 Determination of the business list for Cabinet meetings
  • 4.4 Lodgement process for Cabinet submissions
  • 4.5 Lodgement process for Cabinet Committee submissions
  • 4.6 Lodgement letter
  • 4.7 Number of copies to be lodged
  • 4.8 Oral Cabinet submissions
  • 4.9 Circulation of Cabinet submissions
  • 4.10 Cabinet Agenda
  • 4.11 Collective Cabinet Minutes
  • 4.12 Cabinet decisions
  • 4.13 Briefing information on Cabinet submissions
  • 4.14 Security and management of Cabinet information
  • 4.15 Access to Cabinet documents
  • 4.16 Cabinet cycle: Procedural timelines
  • 4.17 Matters to Note Template
• Preparation of submissions
  • 5.1 Types of submissions
  • 5.2 Security classifications on Cabinet submissions
  • 5.3 General formatting and style for submissions
  • 5.4 Information requirements for submissions
  • 5.5 Example Cabinet submission coversheet
  • 5.6 Example Cabinet Committee submission coversheet
  • 5.7 Example body of Policy and Policy Memorandum submission
  • 5.8 Example body of Authority to Prepare a Bill submission
  • 5.9 Example body of Authority to Introduce a Bill submission
  • 5.10 Example body of Authority to Forward Significant SubLeg
  • 5.11 Example body of an Information submission
  • 5.12 Example body of a Significant Appointment submission
• Consultation
  • 6.1 Community consultation
  • 6.2 Consultation within Government
  • 6.3 Discussion (Green) Papers and Policy (White) Papers
• Legislation
  • 7.1 Legislation program
  • 7.2 Development of a Bill
  • 7.3 Finalisation of a Bill
  • 7.4 Parliamentary Scrutiny of Legislation Committee
  • 7.5 Significant Subordinate Legislation
  • 7.6 Private Members Bills
• Guidelines for briefing
  • 8.1 Bills before the House
  • 8.2 Parliamentary Committees
  • 8.3 Qld submissions to Commonwealth
• Caretaker conventions
  • 9.1 Basic conventions and practices
  • 9.2 The caretaker period
  • 9.3 Notification of the convention(s)
  • 9.4 Appointments
  • 9.5 Major new policy contracts
  • 9.6 Operations of departments
  • 9.7 Guidelines for consultation by the Opposition
  • 9.8 Cabinet documents
  • 9.9 Legislation
  • 9.10 Executive Council during the caretaker period
  • 9.11 Other matters