Committee membership and ballots to choose Crossbench members on committees

On Tuesday 28 May 2019, the House held ballots to choose crossbench members on several standing committees.

The resolutions establishing the standing committees of the Legislative Council provide that each committee be comprised of a specific number of Government, Opposition and crossbench members. Government and Opposition members are nominated by the leader of their party in the Council, while crossbench members are nominated by agreement between crossbench members. Where the crossbench cannot reach agreement, the House is required to choose the crossbench member by secret ballot. This was the case for six standing committees named below for which the Clerk conducted separate ballots in the House on Tuesday.

The following crossbench members were declared elected:

  • State Development Committee: Mr Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) and Mr Pearson (Animal Justice Party)
  • Regulation Committee: Mr Borsak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) and Ms Boyd (The Greens)
  • Public Accountability Committee: Mr Borsak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) and Mr Shoebridge (The Greens)
  • Portfolio Committee No. 1 – Premier and Finance: Mr Borsak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) and Ms Boyd (The Greens)
  • Portfolio Committee No. 4 – Industry: Mr Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) and Ms Hurst (Animal Justice Party)
  • Portfolio Committee No. 7 – Planning and Environment: Ms Faehrmann (The Greens) and Mr Pearson (Animal Justice Party).

See the List of Committees for details of the full membership of each committee.

New members sworn

At a joint sitting on 8 May, Mr Ben Franklin was elected to fill the casual vacancy caused by his own resignation to contest a lower House seat while Ms Rose Jackson was elected to fill the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Ms Lynda Voltz who won the seat of Auburn in the recent election.

On Tuesday morning, both Mr Franklin and Ms Jackson were sworn in by the President, took either the Pledge of Loyalty or Oath of Allegiance, and signed the roll of the House as new members of the Legislative Council for the 57th Parliament.

First speeches

On 8 May, Mr Latham gave his first speech in the House, and on Tuesday Mr Tudehope, Ms Boyd and Ms Moriarty gave their first speeches. Mr Banasiak, Mr D’Adam and Ms Hurst will give their speeches on Wednesday. Still to come are Ms Jackson and Mr Roberts.

Selection of Bills Committee referral

Ageing and Disability Commissioner Bill 2019

House of origin: Legislative Assembly

The bill seeks to establish an Ageing and Disability Commissioner, with the purpose of protecting adults with disability and older adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation and protecting and promoting their rights.

The House resolved on the motion of the Chair of the Selection of Bills Committee that the provisions of the Ageing and Disability Commissioner Bill 2019 be referred to the Standing Committee on Social Issues. This allows the committee to start the inquiry while the bill is still being considered in the Legislative Assembly. When the bill is received from the Legislative Assembly, it will be immediately referred to the committee.

The  Standing Committee on Social Issues is to report by 4 June 2019. After the committee tables its report, the bill will be considered by the House with the benefit of the committees’ report.

Details about the upcoming inquiry will be posted on the Social Issues committee webpage as they become available.

Adjournment debate

The following members spoke to the adjournment debate: