In the first private members’ business day since the winter break, the Legislative Council debated nine general motions and agreed to six orders for papers. A private members’ bill related to a proposed trial of pill testing was negatived and the House agreed to establish an inquiry into the establishment of a new standing order related to the management of disorderly conduct in the House. Read on for more…
NEGATIVED: PILL TESTING TRIAL BILL 2023
The Pill Testing Trial Bill 2023 was introduced by Ms Cate Faehrmann (The Greens) late in 2023. This bill would provide for the trial of pill testing services for prohibited drugs and other scheduled substances, for the purpose of drug harm reduction. Read more about the bill in our previous blog.
The second reading debate on the bill took place on Wednesday with contributions being made by members of the Opposition, the Government, the Legalise Cannabis Party, The Greens, the Libertarian Party and Independent the Hon Taylor Martin. Read all member contributions in the Hansard record, and continued here.
The Hon Taylor Martin moved an amendment to the second reading of the bill which would refer it to the Standing Committee on Social Issues for inquiry and report. This amendment was negatived on division (Ayes: 8/Noes: 27).
The second reading of the bill was negatived on division, with 7 Ayes and 28 Noes.
GENERAL MOTIONS
The following motions were debated in the House over the course of the day:
| Topic of motion | Moved by | Agreed to? |
| Joint Statement on the Interoperability Program | The Hon Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Independent Office of Animal Protection | The Hon Emma Hurst (Animal Justice Party) | Agreed to |
| Royal Commission into the Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees Union, Construction & General Division | The Hon Damien Tudehope (Liberal) | Negatived, on division |
| Rental reforms in NSW | The Hon Dr Sarah Kaine (Labor) | Agreed to |
| Findings of the Smith Family community attitudes survey 2024 | The Hon Sam Farraway (Nationals) | Agreed to, as amended, on division (Ayes: 22/Noes: 15) |
| Forestry Corporation conviction | Ms Sue Higginson (The Greens) | Agreed to, as amended, on division (Ayes: 21/Noes: 16) |
| Compulsory unionism measures | The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Homelessness crisis in NSW | The Hon Emily Suvaal (Labor) | Agreed to, as amended |
| Hydrogen Centre of Excellence | The Hon Mark Buttigieg (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:
- Migrant workers’ rights, moved by the Hon Stephen Lawrence (Labor)
- Visit to National Parliament of Solomon Islands by members and staff of NSW Parliament, also moved by Mr Lawrence
- StandbyU Foundation, moved by the Hon Rachel Merton (Liberal)
- Humanity Matters, also moved by Ms Merton
- Mr Edwin “Eddie” Mifsud, moved by the Hon Sam Farraway (Nationals)
- Ronald McDonald House charity Central West Winter Gala Ball 2024, also moved by Mr Farraway
ORDERS FOR PAPERS
| Request | Moved by | Agreed to? | Due date |
| Correspondence with the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union, Construction & General Division | The Hon Damien Tudehope (Liberal) | Agreed to | 28 August 2024 |
| Sydney Metro City – Chatswood to Sydenham opening | The Hon Natalie Ward (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended | 21 August 2024 |
| Police management and administration | The Hon Rod Roberts (Independent) | Agreed to | 21 August 2024 |
| Racing NSW and the NSW Police Force | The Hon Mark Latham (Independent) | Agreed to | 28 August 2024 |
| Narrabeen athletics track | The Hon Natasha Maclaren-Jones (Liberal) | Agreed to | 28 August 2024 |
| Sexual assaults at public schools – Further order | The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal) on behalf of the Hon Sarah Mitchell (Nationals) | Agreed to | 21 August 2024 |
IN COMMITTEES
The House agreed to a motion moved by the Hon Mark Latham (Independent) for the Procedure Committee to establish an inquiry into the introduction of a standing order, similar to standing order 94(a) in the Australian House of Representatives, allowing the Presiding Officer in question time to immediately suspend a member from the service of the House for one hour for disorderly conduct. Keep an eye on the committee webpage for more details about this inquiry.
The establishment of two new Legislative Council inquiries was reported in the House on Wednesday. Both referred to the Social Issues Committee, the inquiry into the impacts of harmful pornography on mental, emotional, and physical health and the inquiry into the prevalence, causes and impacts of loneliness in NSW. Keep an eye on the inquiry webpages for more information about submissions and hearing dates for these inquiries.
The seventh Delegated Legislation Monitor report published by the Legislative Council Regulation Committee was also tabled in the House.