House of Assembly of New Cambria/Compendium/Parliamentary Cycle

Introduction
A General Assembly is summoned following a general election and continues to exist until it is dissolved (ended) by a proclamation of the Governor General at the request of the Prime Minister. Dissolution is followed by another general election. The Constitution sets the maximum lifespan of a General Assembly at five years.

Each General Assembly is made up of one or more sessions, each consisting of a number of separate sittings (meetings), separated by periods of adjournment. Each session, except the final one, ends when the General Assembly is prorogued by the Governor General. The final session ends with the dissolution of the General Assembly and the calling of a general election.

Opening of a General Assembly or a Session
After a general election, the General Assembly is summoned in the Sovereign's name by the Governor General. On the day appointed by the proclamation for the meeting of the new General Assembly, the newly elected members, who have already taken an oath of allegiance, elect a Speaker by secret ballot.

At the time appointed for the formal opening of the new General Assembly, the new Speaker, accompanied by the Members, formally announces his or her elect at the Bar of the Legislative Council Chamber. The Speaker of the Legislative Council replies on behalf of the Governor General. He or she acknowledges the election and confirms the traditional rights and privileges of the House.

These formalities are followed immediately by the Speech from the Throne in the Legislative Council Chamber. Subsequent sessions of the same General Assembly will open with a summons to the Legislative Council Chamber followed immediately by a Speech from the Throne.

The Speech from the Throne is customarily read by the Governor General. It announces the newly elected Government's general program for the parliamentary session that will follow.

When the Members return to the House of Assembly Chamber, several procedural formalities are followed immediately by the commencement of the debate on the Address to the Governor General in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.