Legislative Assembly
Parliament of
Fact Sheet 19
The Serjeant-at-Arms
Authority
The Serjeant-at-Arms is the Speaker’s executive
officer and one of the senior permanent officers of the House appointed under
the Parliamentary Officers Act 1975. The
Serjeant’s main role is to carry out the instructions of the Speaker and the House,
and to look after the security of the Legislative Assembly Chamber.
History
The
Serjeant-at-Arms is an office with origins in the
In the fourteenth century Richard II appointed one of
his Serjeants-at-Arms to act as the bodyguard of the Speaker in the House of
Commons. His name was Robert Markless and he was
appointed for life, receiving a salary of 12 pence per day, a horse, and all
the trappings of office. In those early days, the Speaker was employed directly
by the King and was often in the difficult position of trying to meet the
demands of the Commons, which he was there to serve, and the conflicting
interests of the King. As a result of this perilous position, one of the
Serjeant’s most important tasks was to protect the Speaker from his enemies in
the Commons.
In 1415 the Serjeant-at-Arms was introduced to the
Parliament in a form recognisable in the present day parliamentary structure.
The change was led by the Commons, not at the request of the King as a means of
extending his power of the Parliament, as is often thought. The Commons now had
an officer with the authority of a King’s representative, and the power to
exercise authority of the parliament over ordinary citizens. Most importantly
for the Commons, the exercise of this royal authority was on the instruction of
the Speaker.
Early concepts of the role of the Serjeant-at-Arms as
‘an attendant upon the Speaker’ and acting only ‘on the instruction of the
Speaker’ still characterise the functions of the office today. Over the
centuries the Serjeant, as bearer of the Mace, became identified with
protecting the privileges of the Commons — the Speaker being the guardian and
the Serjeant-at-Arms the enforcer.
The Mace
The Serjeant-at-Arms literally translates to ‘servant
bearing arms’, the weapon used being the Mace. Appropriately ceremonial and
suitable for an officer with royal authority, the Mace has evolved from the
primitive ‘loaded club’ and is capable of denting a man’s armour.
The Mace as a weapon has an ancient history. Roman
soldiers are pictured on stone tombs carrying such weapons. Bishop Odo, half-brother of William the Conqueror, favoured the
Mace as a means of sidestepping the rules of medieval church which prohibited
the shedding of blood by a priest. The Mace was particularly suited to those
who had to command as well as fight.
Today’s Mace has evolved from its primary role as a
weapon to become a symbol of the authority of the Speaker. The Victorian
Parliament has had three Maces in its history. The first was a gilded wooden
Mace used between 1857–65 and 1891–1901. This Mace was loaned to the Federal
Parliament in 1901 when they sat in the Victorian Parliament. In 1927 it travelled
to
The second Mace, engraved with the English and
Victorian coats of arms and a headpiece decorated with the maltese
cross, was famously stolen from its box in the Speaker’s chamber in 1891. It
was never found, despite a widespread police search and a number of suspects,
including the Speaker of the day!
The present Mace is 5 feet long, 18 pounds, made of
silver and gilded to give the appearance of solid gold. It was first used in
1901 and features the symbols of the rose, thistle, harp and waratah, representing
Ceremonial
Duties
The Serjeant-at-Arms’ functions in the Chamber are
associated mainly with the ceremony of Parliament and the maintenance of order.
At the beginning of a sitting day, the Serjeant places the Mace on his or her
right shoulder and leads the Speaker into the Chamber, announcing the Speaker
to members present, who must rise in their places until the Speaker takes the
chair. When the House adjourns, the Speaker rises and members stand again, the
Serjeant shoulders the Mace and leads the Speaker from the Chamber.
On ceremonial occasions such as the Opening of
Parliament, the Serjeant has traditionally worn
Role in
the Chamber
The Serjeant-at-Arms attends in the Chamber at all
times when the House is sitting and provides general assistance to the Clerks
when needed. The duties of office include recording members’ attendance and
delivering messages to the Legislative Council.
On the Speaker’s instruction, the Serjeant escorts
suspended members from the Chamber, and also announces to the Speaker any
stranger (person other than a member or Chamber officer) wishing to enter the
House, such as the Usher of the Black Rod from the Legislative Council. Further
responsibilities include maintaining order in the galleries and the taking into
custody any stranger guilty of misconduct in the gallery or House.
The Office
of the Serjeant-at-Arms
The office has a number of functions:
·
It assists with
the arranging and coordinating of ceremonial functions, members accommodation
and travel requirements.
·
The issue of
security and identification passes.
·
It maintains the
Legislative Assembly Members List.
·
Responsibility
for works and services within the Assembly precincts, the supervision of the
Assembly attendants and cleaning staff.
·
The admittance
and control of the public to the Parliament, including Parliament tours.
·
It provides
accreditation for all media representatives operating within Parliament.
·
Monitoring public
demonstrations and working to ensure such events run smoothly.
·
In conjunction
with Usher of the Black Rod, the Serjeant-at-Arms is also responsible for the
security and fire protection of the Parliament building and its surrounds,
emergency and evacuation procedures and the supervision of protective service
officers stationed at Parliament House.
Further
Laundy, Philip, The
Office of Speaker, Cassell, 1st
edition,
Marsden, John, The
Officers of the Commons, Barrie and Rockliff, 1st edition,
Wright, Raymond, Who
Stole the Mace?, Victorian Parliamentary Library, 1991.
Issued by the Clerk of the
Legislative Assembly, February 2005
Fact Sheets
The Legislative Assembly Procedure Office
has produced a series of Fact Sheets that explain parliamentary procedure and
terminology. All Fact Sheets are available on Parliament’s website www.parliament.vic.gov.au or through the Procedure
Office. Contact Details
Procedure Office, Legislative Assembly,
Parliament House, Spring Street, Phone No: 03
9651 8563 Fax No: 03 9650 7245 Email: assembly@parliament.vic.gov.au |