With the day’s hard adjournment moved until midnight, it was a mammoth sitting of the Legislative Council on Tuesday. Among the bills passed was the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Bill 2023, which included debate on a multitude of amendments. Other bills debated related to the management of the Energy Corporation of NSW, the operating model of the Transport Asset Holding Entity of NSW (TAHE), and the future of the Greater Cities Commission. Read on for more…

PASSED: Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Bill 2023

The first piece of Government business of the day was the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Bill 2023, which passed the Council after detailed debate in committee of the whole, where nearly 100 amendments were moved and more than 30 changes to the bill were ultimately agreed to. The bill, which had its second reading debate in the previous sitting week, would set greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in NSW and establish the independent Net Zero Commission to monitor, review and provide advice on progress towards these targets.

Further details on the aims of the bill can be found in our blog from when the bill was introduced in October.

In committee of the whole, the numerous amendments were grouped into themes to streamline their consideration.

A number of amendments that sought to introduce a 2035 emissions reduction target in addition to the 2030 and 2050 targets proposed by the bill were put forward by the Opposition, and The Greens. One amendment from the Opposition was agreed to on the voices, setting an additional emissions reduction target of 70 per cent by 2035. The Greens’ amendments, which among other things sought to set a net zero target by 2035, were all negatived. Meanwhile, amendments moved by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party to remove targets altogether were also negatived.

Eight amendments of the Legalise Cannabis Party were also agreed to on the voices which set ‘interim’ greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, allowing for further targets to be set in addition to those stated in the bill.

A further three Legalise Cannabis Party amendments were additionally agreed to, to embed a “ratchet mechanism” into the bill – meaning that the targets could be adjusted, or “ratcheted up” over time. These amendments specify that the interim targets, to be set in 2040 and 2045 respectively, must be greater than the target set for the previous five-year period.

Among the other amendments agreed to were amendments relating to the bill’s impacts on regional and rural areas, animals, the members and functions of the Net Zero Commission, and the publication of Commission reports.

A number of amendments were also negatived, proposed by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, the Animal Justice Party, Independent member the Hon Mark Latham, The Greens, the Government and the Opposition. View a full list of proposed amendments for this bill here.

The full committee of the whole proceedings can be read here, and are continued here.

With the bill as amended agreed to, the bill was read a third time and sent to the Legislative Assembly for concurrence.

PASSED: ENERGY LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2023

Introduced by the Hon Penny Sharpe, the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 also passed the Council on Tuesday, having passed the Legislative Assembly earlier in the day. This bill amends the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 in relation to the functions of the Energy Security Target Monitor (ESTM), and the Energy and Utilities Administration Act 1987 in relation to the governance arrangements for the Energy Corporation of NSW.

The bill will see the Department of Planning and Environment act as the state’s ESTM in the situation when no other person or body has been appointed. The ESTM reports on the energy needs of NSW, letting the energy market know how much new infrastructure the Government expects will be required to meet the state’s energy needs. Management of the Energy Corporation of NSW would also be changed so that it would be managed by a Board appointed by the Minister, instead of being managed by the Secretary as is currently the case. Further details on the bill can be found in Minister Sharpe’s second reading speech.

Contributions to the second reading debate were made by members of the Opposition. Read all contributions in the Hansard record.

With the second and third readings of the bill agreed to on the voices, the bill was returned to the Assembly, ready to be forwarded to the Governor for assent.

PASSED: TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT (TAHE) BILL 2023

Also passing in the Council, the Transport Administration Amendment (TAHE) Bill 2023 would amend the Transport Administration Act 1988 to implement a new operating model for the Transport Asset Holding Entity of NSW (TAHE). TAHE is the state-owned corporation that owns railway networks across NSW, including tracks, trains, stations and land holdings around stations. The entity was the subject of detailed scrutiny by the Council’s Public Accountability Committee during the last term of Parliament.

The bill seeks to update the priorities and objectives of TAHE, ensuring that the “safe and reliable” functioning of the corporation is its primary objective above all others. The bill would enshrine other objectives of TAHE, including efficiency and profit building, as secondary to the primary objective. In his second reading speech, the Hon Daniel Mookhey (on behalf of the Hon John Graham) explained that the aim of the bill is to ensure that TAHE would focus on the safety and reliability of its transport assets rather than commercial returns. Further details on the bill can be found in Mr Mookhey’s second reading speech.

Contributions to the second reading debate were made by members of the Opposition and The Greens, and can be seen in the Hansard record.

With the second and third readings of the bill agreed to on the voices, the bill was returned to the Assembly, ready to be forwarded to the Governor for assent.

INTRODUCED: GREATER CITIES COMMISSION REPEAL BILL 2023

The Greater Cities Commission Repeal Bill 2023 was passed in the Legislative Assembly earlier in the day and introduced in the Council by the Hon Penny Sharpe. The bill would repeal the Greater Cities Commission Act 2022 and amend the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to abolish the Greater Cities Commission.

In her second reading speech, Minister Sharpe explained that  the bill would transfer the responsibilities currently held by the Greater Cities Commission to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, which will be created on 1 January 2024. The bill aims to streamline the planning system by centralising all planning functions in the state. Further details of the bill can be found in Minister Sharpe’s second reading speech.  

Contributions to the second reading debate were made by members of the Opposition and The Greens before debate was interrupted for the adjournment debate. Read all member contributions in the Hansard record.

Debate on the bill is set to resume at a future sitting of the House.

GENERAL MOTIONS

The following motions were agreed to without debate, during the morning’s formal business:

DOCUMENTS TABLED AND REPORTED IN THE HOUSE

Among the documents tabled and reported on Tuesday were:

The Public Accountability and Works Committee’s inquiry report into the Parliamentary Evidence Amendment (Ministerial Accountability) Bill 2023 was also reported, having been published on Monday. Find the report and details of the inquiry here.

Find all documents tabled and reported in our Tabled Papers Database.

One thought on “In the House – Tuesday November 28 2023”

  1. Pingback: In the House – Thursday November 30 2023 – The House in Review

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