Wednesday in the Legislative Council was packed full of Private Members’ Business, including motions regarding domestic and family violence, mental health funding and a proposal that “no body, no parole” laws‘ passed in 2022 be referred to as ‘Lyn’s Law’, in memory of Lynette Simms. Two private members’ bills were before the House and one order for papers was agreed to. Read on for more…
Introduced: Residential Tenancies Amendment (Animals in Residential Premises) Bill 2024
The Residential Tenancies Amendment (Animals in Residential Premises) Bill 2024 was introduced in the Council on Wednesday by the Hon Emma Hurst (Animal Justice Party). This bill seeks to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 to provide that landlords cannot refuse tenants permission to keep an animal in a residential premises.
In addition to landlords not being able to unreasonably refuse animals being kept in their property, the bill stipulates that a landlord would be seen to have consented to the keeping of an animal in their premises if they don’t respond to the request within 14 days. The bill also sets out how the Civil and Administrative Tribunal can be used by tenants to request consent to keep animals and by landlords to refuse their consent in certain circumstances.
In her second reading speech, Ms Hurst explained that her bill seeks to address the risk that pet owners who rent may be obliged to surrender their pets to animal shelters in order to secure rental accommodation. Read more about the bill in her second reading speech.
Following Ms Hurst’s second reading speech, debate on the bill was adjourned to a future sitting of the House.
DEBATED: LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT (DE-AMALGAMATION PLEBISCITES) BILL 2023
The Local Government Amendment (De-amalgamation Plebiscites) Bill 2023 was debated in the House on Tuesday. This private members’ bill, previously introduced by Dr Amanda Cohn (The Greens) would amend the Local Government Act 1993 to allow binding plebiscites to be held in relation to the de-amalgamation of local councils. Read more about the bill in our previous blog.
Contributions to the second reading debate were made by members of the Government, the Opposition, the Animal Justice Party and The Greens. Read member contributions in full in the Hansard record.
At the conclusion of the debate, the second reading of the bill was negatived on division, Ayes: 7, Noes: 28.
See the House in Review for Thursday 9 May for further developments in relation to local council de-amalgamations
General Motions
The following motions were debated in the House over the course of the day:
| Topic of motion | Moved by | Agreed to? |
| “No body, no parole” laws | The Hon Robert Borsak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) | Agreed to |
| Domestic, family and sexual violence, and continued here | The Hon Emily Suvaal (Labor) | Agreed to |
| Funding for domestic and family violence services | The Hon Abigail Boyd (The Greens) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Censure of the Leader of the Government – failure to adequately answer question on notice number 1788, and continued here | The Hon Rod Roberts (Independent) | Agreed to |
| Universities and free speech | The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended, on division (Ayes: 23/Noes: 18) |
| 80:20 funding model for state significant infrastructure | The Hon Sam Farraway (Nationals) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Funding for mental health services | The Hon Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Reinstatement of the title of the Department of Trade | The Hon Jacqui Munro (Liberal) | Negatived, on division (Ayes: 13/Noes: 20) |
In addition to the above motions debated in the chamber, the following motions were agreed to without debate, during the morning’s formal business:
- Tamil Women’s Group International Women’s Day Event, moved by Ms Abigail Boyd (The Greens)
- Message Stick annual breakfast 2024, moved by the Hon Cameron Murphy (Labor)
- NSW Council for Civil Liberties Queers in Conversation event, also moved by Mr Murphy
- Irish National Association Easter Sunday Commemoration, also moved by Mr Murphy
- Yom Hashoah Commemoration, moved by the Hon Susan Carter (Liberal)
- Abduction of No’a Argamani, moved by the Hon Natalie Ward (Liberal)
- Republic of China (Taiwan) Earthquake, moved by the Hon Rod Roberts (Independent)
- Vanessa Pringle Floral Design, Bathurst, moved by the Hon Wes Fang (Nationals)
- 155th Royal Bathurst Show, also moved by Mr Fang
- 100th Anniversary of the Country Women’s Association Bathurst Branch, also moved by Mr Fang
- 50th Anniversary of the Central Commercial Printers, Bathurst, also moved by Mr Fang
Orders for papers
There was one order for papers debated in the House on Wednesday:
| Request | Moved by | Agreed to? | Due date |
| Recruitment and terminations in the Public Affairs branch of NSW Police Force | The Hon Sarah Mitchell (Nationals) | Agreed to | 29/05/2024 |