18Suspension and removal from office

18 Suspension and removal from office

(1) A member shall not be removed from office except as provided by this section. (2) The Governor‑General may suspend a member from office on the ground of misbehaviour or physical or mental incapacity. (3) Where the Governor‑General suspends a member from office, the Minister shall cause a statement of the ground of the suspension to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 7 sitting days of the House after the suspension. (4) Where such a statement has been laid before a House of the Parliament, that House may, within 15 sittings days of that House after the day on which the statement has been laid before it, by resolution, declare that the member should be restored to office and, if each House so passes a resolution, the Governor‑General shall terminate the suspension. (5) If, at the expiration of 15 sitting days of a House of the Parliament after the day on which the statement has been laid before that House, that House has not passed such a resolution, the Governor‑General may remove the member from office. (6) If a member:

(a) becomes bankrupt, applies to take the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, compounds with his creditors or makes an assignment of his remuneration for their benefit; or

(b) fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with his obligations under section 14;

the Governor‑General shall remove him from office. (7) Where a member who is an eligible employee for the purposes of the Superannuation Act 1976 is removed from office under sub‑section (5) on the ground of physical or mental incapacity, he shall be deemed, for the purposes of that Act, to have been retired on the ground of invalidity on the day on which he was suspended from office. (8) A member who is suspended from office under this section is not entitled to be paid any remuneration or allowances in respect of the period of his suspension unless he is restored to office.