The Legislative Council was back in session on Tuesday for a full day of Government business – with a twist. The House passed two Government bills, related to the screen and digital games industries and the state’s planning system, but then went on to debate a private members’ bill, an unusual occurrence on a Government business day! Read on for more…

PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT: APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CLERK AND PARLIAMENTARY OFFICERS

Early in the sitting, the President made a statement announcing the appointment of the new Deputy Clerk, Stephen Frappell from 16 April 2025. Stephen previously worked as the Clerk Assistant – Procedure and is filling the vacancy caused by Steven Reynolds’ appointment as Clerk.

The President also announced the appointment of new Legislative Council Clerk Assistants, with Sharon Ohnesorge appointed as Clerk Assistant ‑ Procedure, Madeleine Foley appointed as Clerk Assistant – Committees, job sharing with Beverly Duffy, and Tina Higgins appointed as Clerk Assistant – Office of the Black Rod.

Congratulations to Stephen and the new Clerk Assistants!

PASSED: SCREEN AND DIGITAL GAMES INDUSTRIES BILL 2025

The Screen and Digital Games Industries Bill 2025 returned to the Legislative Council on Tuesday for consideration of amendments made in the Legislative Assembly. This bill seeks to assist, promote and strengthen the screen and digital games industries in NSW. Read more about this bill in our previous blog.

The bill had passed the Council on a previous sitting day and was sent to the Legislative Assembly for concurrence. During the Assembly’s consideration of the bill, it was amended.

The House resolved into committee of the whole for consideration of the amendment made in the Assembly. Read the full committee of the whole proceedings in the Hansard record.

The House agreed to the amendment on the voices, with the bill then returned to the Assembly ready for the Governor’s assent.

PASSED: ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT AMENDMENT BILL 2025

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Bill 2025 also passed the Legislative Council on Tuesday. This bill will make miscellaneous amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 in order to simplify the planning system. Read more about the bill in our previous blog.

The House resolved into a committee of the whole to continue consideration of amendments, with seven proposed amendments moved by Independent member the Hon Mark Latham.

Mr Latham’s amendments sought to mandate more comprehensive community consultation for significant developments, introduce stricter environmental assessment requirements for large-scale projects, require detailed reporting and justification for planning decisions, implement mechanisms to hold developers and planning authorities accountable for non-compliance with planning regulations and to abolish the Independent Planning Commission. These amendments were all negatived on the voices.

Read the full committee of the whole proceedings in the Hansard record.

With the third reading agreed to on the voices, the bill as amended was sent on to the Legislative Assembly for concurrence.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND SESSIONAL ORDERS: ABORTION LAW REFORM AMENDMENT (HEALTH CARE ACCESS) BILL 2025

Minister Penny Sharpe moved a motion, calling on Standing and Sessional Orders to be suspended to allow the debate of a private members’ bill on Government business day. This suspension was needed because government bills and other business normally has priority over private members’ business on Tuesday. The motion was agreed to on the voices allowing debate of the Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025 to continue in the Legislative Council.

This private members’ bill, previously introduced by Dr Amanda Cohn (The Greens), seeks to amend the Abortion Law Reform Act 2019 to increase access to abortion health care.  Read more about the bill in our previous blog.

Contributions to the second reading debate were made by members of the Opposition, the Government and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party. Read all member contributions in the Hansard record.

Further debate on the bill was adjourned until the next sitting day of the House.

GENERAL MOTIONS

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

IN COMMITTEES

The House heard ‘take note’ debates on the following committee reports and Government responses:

During the day’s proceedings, the receipt of a number of committee reports and government responses were tabled and reported in the House:

PAPERS

Among the documents tabled and reported on Tuesday were:

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

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