State Opening of Parliament

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The State Opening of Parliament is the traditional ceremony marking the opening of a new Parliament. The ceremony has not been held since the Governor-General was forced to go into exile by the National Party, but is set to be held again as the new Parliament is due to assemble in Madaline.

The Ceremony
The Governor-General and the First Minister have released a few details on the State Opening: this section extrapolates how a ceremony would be conducted for the new Parliament.

Arrival of the Governor-General
Around noon, the Monarch or a representative of the Crown leaves Dunskirk Hall for the Madaline Houses of Parliament. Upon their arrival there, they are saluted by a guard of honour as they enter through the entrance to the Governor-General's lobby, where the Governor-General prepares for giving his Speech from the Throne. He then commands the Speaker of the Senate to assemble the Senators, and with the mace carried before him, he proceeds into the chamber and calls it to order with the following words:


 * "Order, order. I have to acquaint the House that His Excellency, the Governor-General, has commanded me to assemble this honourable House to hear declared the causes of the Summoning of the present Parliament."

Then the Governor-General is announced by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, and the chamber rises as he takes his seat on the throne before the Chamber. Black Rod turns towards him and is, by a wave of the hand, called to summon the House. Thereafter, the Governor-General tells the Senate to "... pray, be seated."

The Summons to the House of Assembly
Black Rod then proceeds right through the Centre Courtyard to the House of Assembly, where the doors are ceremoniously slammed in his face to signify the independence of the House of Assembly from the Crown. He than hits the door with his rod, and by consent of the Speaker, is admitted to the Chamber, where he calls the House of Assembly to attend as such:


 * "Mr Speaker, the Governor-General commands this honourable House to attend His Excellency immediately in the Upper House."

The Members of Parliament, the mace carried before them and led by the First Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, walk out of the Chamber towards the Senate, where they stop at the bar and stand to listen to the Speech from the Throne.

The Speech from the Throne
The Speech from the Throne is delivered to the Governor-General by the First Minister, who asks permission to cross the bar and walks across the Senate towards the Throne, where he bows his head and delivers the Speech to the Governor-General, signifying the contract between the Crown and the people. The Governor-General then reads the speech, outlining the Government's programme, in a neutral tone. The House then bows to the Throne and returns to the Chamber, where the Speaker acquaints the House that the Speech was delivered.

Debate on the Humble Address
Debate then starts on the Humble Address, which is moved by a senior and a junior Member of Parliament, in the House of Assembly, as follows:


 * "That a humble address be presented to His Excellency, the Governor-General:


 * MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY


 * We, Her Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Representatives of the People of Berringsland in Parliament Assembled, beg leave to humbly thank Your Excellency for the Gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament."