In the House – Wednesday 24 May 2023

The day for private members’ business in the Legislative Council, Wednesday saw the House debating some 15 motions, covering everything from high-profile public incidents and the NSW Budget, through to community initiatives and anniversaries. Meanwhile, another of the House’s cohort of new members delivered her first speech in the chamber. Read on for more…

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROCEDURE COMMITTEE

As part of formal business on Wednesday morning, the Upper House’s Procedure Committee was established for the 58^th Parliament. Chaired by the President, the committee is responsible for considering and proposing any changes to the practices and procedures of the House (including amendments to its standing orders), and for undertaking inquiries relating to procedural matters as referred to it by the House or President.

As an example of its work, in the previous Parliament the Procedure Committee undertook a complete review of the House’s standing orders, resulting in the adoption of these revised orders at the end of 2022. The committee also conducted an important inquiry into the use of Auslan in the broadcast of Upper House proceedings, the recommendations of which can be seen in the signed video available on the Parliament’s website. 

The new membership of the Procedure Committee can be found here.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO COMMITTEE REPORTS

Under standing order 240, the Government is required to provide a response to all recommendations outlined in an Upper House committee inquiry report within three months of the report being tabled. The President is also required to report to the House if this deadline for response is not met, with the Leader of the Government in the House then called upon to provide an explanation.

On Wednesday, the President drew attention to responses being overdue for four reports, dealing with the Western Harbour Tunnel, ambulance ramping, water trading and Barangaroo sight lines respectively. In her explanation, Leader of the Government the Hon Penny Sharpe spoke to the Parliament being prorogued earlier in the year and tabled a letter outlining the Government’s position, though advised responses to the reports would be provided by the end of June. Read more in the Hansard record.

FIRST SPEECH OF THE HON SUSAN CARTER

At the March state election there were 11 new members elected to the Council, alongside 10 re-elected members of the House – that means over the coming sitting weeks, there’ll be a number of first speeches delivered!

On Wednesday, the Hon Susan Carter (Liberal) was the latest member to deliver a first speech, addressing a chamber of colleagues and loved ones, and audiences tuning in online. Ms Carter was sworn in as a member of the Council and signed the official roll of the House during Opening of Parliament proceedings earlier this month.

Find Ms Carter’s first speech in full here.

GENERAL MOTIONS

The following motions were debated in the House over the course of the day:

Topic of motion (click link for details)	Moved by	Agreed to?
Homelessness and companion animals	The Hon Emma Hurst (Animal Justice Party)	Agreed to
Police incident on 17 May (taser use)	The Hon Damien Tudehope (Liberal)	Agreed to, as amended
Coal project approvals	Ms Cate Faehrmann (The Greens)	Negatived
The former government’s disclosure of pressures on the NSW Budget	The Hon Peter Primrose (Labor)	Agreed to on division (Ayes: 25/Noes: 13)
Recreational boating facilities	The Hon Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)	Agreed to, as amended
Qantas outsourcing	The Hon Mark Buttigieg (Labor)	Agreed to
Support for regional apprentices and university students	The Hon Sam Farraway (Nationals)	Negatived on division (Ayes: 16/Noes: 21)
The hanging of Singaporean National Mr Tangaraju Suppiah	The Hon Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party)	Agreed to
Cleanaway waste collection workers (with debate interrupted for a members’ first speech, see the rest of the debate on this motion here)	The Hon Mark Buttigieg (Labor)	Agreed to
Silicosis	Ms Abigail Boyd (The Greens)	Agreed to, as amended
Israel’s 75th Independence Day	The Hon Natalie Ward (Liberal)	Agreed to, as amended
AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award	The Hon Sarah Kaine (Labor)	Agreed to

In addition to the above motions debated in the chamber, the following motions were agreed to without debate, during the morning’s formal business:

• The passing of Professor Will Steffen, moved by Ms Cate Faehrmann (The Greens)
• The passing of Bob Dasey, moved by The Hon Peter Primrose (Labor)
• Cumnock Long White Lunch, moved by The Hon Wes Fang (Nationals)
• The Royal Bathurst Show 2023, moved by The Hon Wes Fan (Nationals)
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2023, moved by The Hon Emma Hurst (Animal Justice Party)
• The passing of Dr Haydn Washington, moved by Ms Cate Faehrmann (The Greens)
• Wear Orange Wednesday 2023, moved by Dr Amanda Cohn (The Greens)
• One Stop Shop disability health clinic, moved by Ms Abigail Boyd (The Greens)
• Portfolio committees – amendment to names, moved by the Hon Penny Sharpe on behalf of the Government
• Publication of tabled papers 1901-1938, moved by the Hon Penny Sharpe on behalf of the Government

ORDERS FOR PAPERS

There were 3 orders for papers debated in the House on Wednesday:

Request (click link for details)	Moved by	Agreed to?	Due date
Papers regarding the Safe Staffing Working Group	The Hon Damien Tudehope (Liberal)	Negatived on division (Ayes: 17/Noes: 22)	N/A
Papers regarding the Ultimate Fighting Championship	The Hon Natalie Ward (Liberal)	Negatived on division (Ayes: 13/Noes: 23)	N/A
Lighting of the Opera House sails	The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal)	Negatived on division (Ayes: 15/Noes: 19)	N/A

REPORTS TABLED AND REPORTED IN THE HOUSE

Wednesday was light on reports and papers in the House, with the April 2023 Report of the Independent Statutory Review of the Ageing and Disability Commissioner Act 2019 tabled by the Leader of the Government in the House, the Hon Penny Sharpe.