There were three bills before the Legislative Council on Wednesday – and highlighting the truly diverse nature of private members’ business day, their topics ranged from enforcing timber harvesting ‘safety zones’, to exempting medicinal cannabis users from certain driving offences, to redefining the principles of sound financial management in NSW. There were also more than 30 general motions debated or dealt with during the day’s formal business! Read on for more…
INTRODUCED: FORESTRY AMENDMENT (TIMBER HARVESTING SAFETY ZONES) BILL 2023
The Forestry Amendment (Timber Harvesting Safety Zones) Bill 2023 was introduced by the Hon Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers). The bill seeks to amend the Forestry Act 2012 by introducing timber harvesting safety zones, and makes it an offence for a person to enter or remain in a timber harvesting safety zone or obstruct or interfere with timber harvesting or related forestry operations carried out within the zone. The bill also seeks to increase the maximum penalties that apply under the Forestry Act, notably to those relating to obstructing authorised officers.
You can find further details in Mr Banasiak’s second reading speech.
After its introduction in the chamber, the bill was adjourned for five calendar days, according to standing order.
DEBATED: FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AMENDMENT (WELLBEING BUDGET) BILL 2023
The second reading debate for the Fiscal Responsibility Amendment (Wellbeing Budget) Bill 2023 began on Wednesday, with the bill introduced by Ms Abigail Boyd (The Greens) back on 21 June – see our earlier blog post here.
The bill seeks to amend the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012 to broaden the objects of the Act beyond maintaining a triple-A rating to also encompass maintaining essential public assets and services under public ownership and control, and increasing the long-term economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of the state.
During debate, contributions were heard from members of the Government, the Opposition, and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. See all members’ contributions in the Hansard record.
Debate was interrupted after 30 minutes according to a motion agreed to earlier in the sitting, with debate on the bill set down on the Notice Paper for resumption on a future day.
INTRODUCTED: ROAD TRANSPORT AMENDMENT (MEDICINAL CANNABIS) BILL 2023
The Hon Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party) introduced the Road Transport Amendment (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2023 on Wednesday. The bill seeks to amend the Road Transport Act 2013 to provide that the offence of driving with the presence of certain drugs in a person’s oral fluid, blood or urine does not apply to users of medicinal cannabis.
If passed, the bill would provide a defence to prosecution if the defendant proves that when they engaged in the offence, the only prescribed illicit drug in their system was delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, and that the THC was obtained and administered in accordance with the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 or a corresponding law of another state or territory.
In his second reading speech, Mr Buckingham referred to the Road Transport Amendment (Medicinal Cannabis – Exemptions from Offences) Bill 2021, introduced to the Council by Ms Cate Faehrmann (The Greens) in the last Parliament, which proposed comparable amendments. He also referred to the Law and Justice Committee’s inquiry that examined Ms Faehrmann’s bill in detail, and reported in 2022. The inquiry report is available here. The Hansard transcript of Mr Buckingham’s second reading speech is available here.
After its introduction in the chamber, the bill was adjourned for five calendar days, according to standing order.
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? |
| Sydney Metro West (also continued in Hansard here) | The Hon Natalie Ward (Liberal) | Agreed to |
| Answer provided in the Legislative Council by the Hon Penny Sharpe | The Hon Rod Roberts (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Biosecurity funding | The Hon Emily Suvaal (Labor) | Agreed to on division (Ayes: 22/Noes: 19) |
| Stronger Country Communities Fund | The Hon Sam Farraway (Nationals) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Red imported fire ants | The Hon Sarah Mitchell (Nationals) | Agreed to |
| Animal custody orders | The Hon Emma Hurst | Agreed to, as amended |
| State project delivery | The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Newry State Forest | Ms Sue Higginson (The Greens) | Agreed to, as amended, on division (Ayes: 21/Noes: 19) |
| Bungarribee community battery | The Hon Peter Primrose (Labor) | Agreed to |
| Arts grants and Creative Kids Vouchers | The Hon Susan Carter (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Public and private faith-based hospitals | The Hon Rachel Merton (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended |
In addition to the above motions debated in the chamber, a large number of motions were agreed to without debate, during the morning’s formal business:
- Commemoration of the 2022 Northern Rivers flooding event, moved by the Hon Aileen MacDonald (Liberals)
- World Bee Day and support for apiarists, also moved by Mrs MacDonald
- Tribute to Frank Spilsbury, also moved by Mrs MacDonald
- National Reconciliation Week 2023, also moved by Mrs MacDonald
- Refugee Week 2023, also moved by Mrs MacDonald
- Tour de Rocks 2023, also moved by Mrs MacDonald
- Acknowledging Serena Ovens, moved by Ms Abigail Boyd (The Greens)
- Tribute to Sophie Trevitt, also moved by Ms Boyd
- The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay 2023, moved by the Hon Sam Farraway (Nationals)
- Bathurst Winter Festival 2023, also moved by Mr Farraway
- Bathurst Rural Clinic School 2023, also moved by Mr Farraway
- The 2023 NSW Farmers Annual Conference, also moved by Mr Farraway
- Mudgee Small Farm Field Days, also moved by Mr Farraway
- Bowen Community Technology Centre, also moved by Mr Farraway
- Bathurst CPSA Christmas in July luncheon, also moved by Mr Farraway
- The Lambert Initiative, moved by the Hon Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party)
- Granville Eid al-Adha Festival, moved by the Hon Mark Buttigieg (Labor)
- Bengali New Year Festival, also moved by Mr Buttigieg
- Extension of reporting date for the Privileges Committee inquiry into the execution of search warrants, moved by the Hon Stephen Lawrence (Labor and Chair of the committee)
- Improvements to aged care facilities, moved by the Hon Emma Hurst (Animal Justice Party)
ORDERS FOR PAPERS
| Request (click link for details) | Moved by | Agreed to? | Due date |
| Papers relating to the recruitment and appointment of the Secretary of Transport for NSW | The Hon Natalie Ward (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended | 16 August 2023 |
| Papers relating to Albury Hospital redevelopment | Dr Amanda Cohn (The Greens) | Agreed to | 16 August 2023 |