Congress Executive Committee

Elections

Once a Speaker has been elected, Congress elects an executive committee from among its members, which, in addition to the Speaker, is made up of no more than eight deputy speakers, two secretaries and two quaestors.
The members of the executive committee are elected successively by highest-average proportional representation based on lists. The rule is used as soon as the first seat has been allocated. The same quorum rule applies as for the Speaker (three fifths, ie 33 members).
Section 7 of the standing orders requires candidate lists to be submitted to the Speaker at least 24 hours prior to voting. They must be signed by the candidates and include the same number of candidates as vacant seats plus two.
Candidates need not belong to a political group or party.
No councillor may hold more than one position on the executive committee.
If a councillor seeks election to several positions on the executive committee and is elected to one of them, his or her candidacy for the remaining positions automatically lapses.

Role of the executive committee

The executive committee is responsible for ensuring that Congress duly fulfils its duties and that proper procedure is followed in adopting motions. The Speaker therefore consults it on:

• the agenda for public sittings
• dates of sittings
• all matters relating to the lawfulness of amendments
• any disputes as to full records of proceedings and any other procedural issues

Each executive committee member performs specific duties:

Deputy Speakers

• May act on behalf of the Speaker
• May replace him or her when away or busy based on an order of precedence among deputy speakers

Secretaries

• Assist the Speaker during sittings, in organising discusions and during votes
• Oversee minute taking under the supervision of the Speaker
• Count votes by show of hands or roll call and witness ballot outcomes check proxy votes

Quaestors

• Under the supervision of the executive committee, monitor Congress finances and budget
• Are consulted by the Speaker prior to committing any expenditure exceeding XPF 5 000 000
• Help write New Caledonia’s financial report with regard to Congress’s expenditure and present it to the executive committee
• Assist the Speaker prepare Congress’s budget and present it to the budget and public finance committee

A Deputy Speaker may, therefore, chair a public sitting, executive committee meeting or the conference of speakers, if the Speaker is away or otherwise unavailable. The government president may be invited to executive committee meetings.