In the House – Tuesday 4 June 2019

On Tuesday 4 June 2019, the House passed its first bill of the new Parliament and the first committee report was tabled. The House continued to debate the Address-in-Reply to the Governor’s opening speech, two new members gave their first speeches and a bill was received from the Assembly and declared urgent.

Government Business

Ageing and Disability Commissioner Bill 2019

On Tuesday the Standing Committee on Social Issues tabled its report on the provisions of the Ageing and Disability Commissioner Bill 2019. The report documents a number of concerns raised by stakeholders about the proposed reform, recommending that amendments seeking to address these concerns be considered by the House during committee of the whole.

Upon receipt of the committee report, the bill was read for a first time. The bill will now be considered by the House with the benefit of the committees’ report.

Debate was adjourned to a later hour of the sitting.

Library Amendment Bill 2019

Debate on the second reading of the bill resumed on Tuesday (see Hansard for a transcript of the debate).

Legal deposit libraries are required to hold a copy of all printed books published in New South Wales. The Parliamentary Library is one of three such libraries in New South Wales, the other two are the State Library and the Sydney University Library. One of the main reforms of the bill was to amend the definition of library material to include electronic publications.

The Opposition and Greens spoke in support of the bill, second and third readings were agreed to on the voices and the bill was forwarded to the Legislative Assembly for concurrence.

Address-in-reply to Her Excellency, the Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor

The House continued to debate the Address-in-Reply to the Governor’s opening speech.

As mentioned last week, the Address-in-Reply expresses thanks for the opening speech by the Governor and the Council’s loyalty to Australia and the people of New South Wales. It also provides an opportunity for members to respond to the government’s agenda as outlined by the Governor.

See Hansard for the latest contributions to Address-in-reply debate.

Committee reports

The House took note of several committee reports tabled in the last Parliament. See Hansard for details of the debate.

First speeches

On Tuesday Mr Buttigieg and Mr Roberts gave their first speeches. Still to come is Ms Jackson who will give her first speech on Wednesday.

Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Amendment (Inmate Behaviour) Bill 2019

House of origin: Legislative Assembly

The bill seeks to permit the Commissioner of Corrective Services to adopt policies to manage the behaviour of inmates of correctional centres. This also includes privileges provided to inmates which may be modified either by increasing or depriving the inmate of such privileges.

The House received the bill from the Assembly and it was read a first time on Tuesday. Under the sessional orders, any government bills introduced into the Legislative Council or received from the Legislative Assembly in the last two sitting weeks of the session may only be passed by the Council if they are declared urgent.

Debate was adjourned until a later hour.

Adjournment debate

The following members spoke to the adjournment debate:

• Mr Farlow – Selective Schools
• Mr Donnelly – Fetal Down Syndrome Screening
• Ms Boyd – Sex Work Industry
• Mr Khan – Tamworth High School
• Mr Primrose – Office of Local Government
• Ms Faehrmann – Pill Testing
• Mr Secord – Farhud Commemoration