The Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern
Territory
Position Description & Selection Criteria
Background
The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly/Chief Executive of the Department of the Legislative
Assembly is supported by key senior personnel including the Deputy Clerk, the Clerk
Assistant - Committees and the Director of Procedural and Education Services (Clerk
Assistant - Chamber).
Each of these positions carries out functions as Clerks at the Table within the Chamber
during sitting periods. This includes the provision of accurate and objective advice to the
Speaker and all Members of the Assembly on procedural matters, the recording of the
events of the Assembly in the Minutes as prescribed under the Self Government Act and
assisting the Speaker with the management of the business of the Assembly.
The Deputy Clerk, as the most senior of these officers supporting the Clerk, also has core
responsibility for the business and corporate functions of the agency and plays a key role in
supporting Members of the Legislative Assembly on non-sitting days as well.
Primary Objective
The Deputy Clerk supports the Clerk in the operation of the Assembly and the administration
of the Department.
Key Responsibilities
The Deputy Clerk has key responsibilities all of which are of equal importance. These are:
1. The provision of advice when at the Table including specific sitting day duties
supporting the Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees when the Assembly sits as
the Committee of the Whole;
2. Overall responsibility for the efficient management of Member services including the
administration of Member entitlements and all non procedural related assistance and
support to Members;
3. Overall responsibility for the efficient management of corporate services including
human resource management, security, finance, building and electorate office
matters, record management, procurement and all other business and office support;
4. Assisting the Clerk with the management of the Office of the Clerk.
In undertaking these responsibilities, the Deputy Clerk is accountable to the Clerk for timely
and accurate advice to Members to ensure they have a ready source to assist their
understanding of parliamentary law, the Standing Orders, Sessional Orders and Orders of
Continuing Effect and guidance on how to progress their concerns in the Assembly in
accordance with rules, precedent and procedure.
The Deputy Clerk is also the Secretary to the House Committee and assists the Clerk in the
Clerk’s role as Secretary to the Standing Orders Committee.
The Deputy Clerk ensures the delivery of Member services including the coordination of
advice to Members working closely with the Executive Officer to the Clerk to ensure accurate
advice on entitlements is provided.
1
In this role, the Deputy Clerk maintains a thorough understanding of the Remuneration
Tribunal Determination (RTD) and, in conjunction with the Executive Officer to the Clerk
manages and keeps up to date all of the Speaker’s Determinations promulgated to
administer the RTD and Speaker’s Determinations arising under any other authority.
The Department’s corporate functions are within the Deputy Clerk’s overall responsibility
including directing senior managers’ coordination of ad hoc and established internal
committees including the chairing of the Department’s Audit Committee, the Cost Savings
and Financial Management meetings and processes to ensure accountability and continuing
high level support from the Director of Strategic and Business Support, Director of Building
and Property Management, Director of Security and the Chief Finance Officer.
Relationships & Accountabilities
To achieve the required outcomes the Deputy Clerk focuses on:






Maintaining high level contact across Northern Territory Public Sector agencies to
ensure the Department of the Legislative Assembly’s requirements are met through
shared service and central agency arrangements;
Maintaining high level networks across Australian, New Zealand and regional
parliaments to ensure best practice, awareness of innovation and precedent in
similar jurisdictions and capacity to translate these to the Northern Territory
experience as appropriate;
Continued professional development and understanding, including knowledge of
Parliamentary law, procedure, precedent and the ongoing capacity to provide
immediate professional advice as required at the Table with an understanding of the
implications of all actions and advice;
Preparation of business plans, reporting systems, directing staff, maintaining
awareness of innovations in business practice and business applications, identifying
training and development opportunities, understanding the constraints of a finite
budget, identifying savings, areas of improvement and monitoring the overall
performance of the Department and of the Assembly;
Being a senior leader in the management team, preparing and planning management
policy on operational aspects of the Legislative Assembly, identifying ways to
improve efficiencies and outcomes and the delivery of services;
Assisting with the management of the Office of the Clerk to ensure the Office is the
key focus for all senior management and operational direction of the Department and
the Assembly and oversees Departmental day to day expenditure within delegations
to ensure the Departmental budget is not exceeded.
Conduct
The role of Deputy Clerk is a credible authoritative and independent role which must respond
accordingly to the demands and pressures resulting from requests by Members of the
Assembly from different political parties; and the need for confidence, trust and non
partisanship remains paramount.
Fairness and defensibility are key aspects of the role; value for money and transparency are
vital and efficiency in service delivery and accuracy is essential.
The Deputy Clerk is involved in the highest level decision making and must have the ability
to build relationships with all Members and have the trust and confidence of the Speaker and
the Clerk at all times.
The Deputy Clerk provides management guidance to other staff of the Assembly, develops
systems and plans, and consults broadly as required under existing employment relationship
2
agreements and according the guidelines established under the Public Sector Employment
and Management Act.
Selection Criteria
Essential
1. Knowledge and understanding of parliamentary law practice and procedure including
extensive knowledge of the operations of a parliament, machinery of government and
experience in the provision of advice and guidance on procedural and legislative
matters.
2. Demonstrated experience in providing high level policy advice in a context that
requires significant interpretation and where the demand for accurate information and
advice is instantaneous.
3. Proven high level management experience coordinating projects and supervising
senior managers to deliver on outcomes within the constraints of policy and
legislated requirements including the ability to manage budgets within guidelines and
identify opportunities for further accountability and savings.
4. Demonstrated written communication skills of a very high order including the ability to
write clear, concise accurate and detailed briefing notes and memoranda to the
Speaker, the Chair of Committees, Party Whips and the Leader of Government
Business and documents expressing policy and recommending direction for the
consumption of the Clerk and Members of the Legislative Assembly.
5. High level demonstrated oral communication skills including interpersonal liaison,
representation and negotiation abilities when working with office holders, Members of
the Assembly, government agencies, political staff, other parliaments and members
of the public.
6. Intellectual capacity of a high order including sound analytical skills and astute
judgment.
7. Demonstrated ability to think strategically and achieve goals at a senior corporate
level.
8. Commitment and capacity to implement and deliver on stated policies with regard to
work health and safety, core agency values such as workplace diversity, professional
excellence, respect, staff engagement, input and consultation, employment based on
merit, managing performance, equity and providing a flexible and rewarding
workplace.
Desirable
1. Tertiary and or professional qualifications in a discipline relevant to the position, for
example, arts, law, politics, public administration.
2. Experience in corporate services management in the context of government
requirements and reporting frameworks at a senior level.
3