Parliament 2009 Sitting Calendar

The recommended House sitting programme for 2009 has been out for a while. So how does it look:

1. Two weeks from 10 February
   One week recess
2. Two weeks from 3 March
   One week recess
3. Three weeks from 24 March
   Two weeks recess
4. Three weeks from 28 April
   One week recess
5. Two weeks from 26 May
   One week recess
6. Three weeks from 16 June
   Two weeks recess
7. Three weeks from 21 July
   One week recess
8. Two weeks from 18 August
   One week recess
9. Three weeks from 8 September
   Two weeks recess
10. Three weeks from 13 October
    Two weeks recess
11. Two weeks from 17 November
    One week recess
12. Three weeks from 8 December
    Rise around 22 December

A total of 31 weeks spread over 12 sessions. This seems about normal off memory.

Contrary to what some may think, it is not holiday time for MPs in recess weeks. You still have constituency work, some select committees, caucus committees, policy development, stakeholder meetings, party activities, correspondence etc – plus of course Ministers are still governing.