Ten orders for papers were agreed to and one new committee was established during Wednesday’s eventful sitting of the Legislative Council. The House also debated several private members’ motions, including one related to the cultural and musical contribution of Sydney band AC/DC. The President also updated the House on the non-attendance of summoned witnesses at a recent committee inquiry hearing. Read on for more…
PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT – NON-ATTENDANCE OF SUMMONED WITNESSES
At the beginning of the day, the President made a statement regarding the non-attendance of five witnesses, summoned to give evidence at a hearing of the Select Committee on the Relationship between the Dural Caravan Incident and the Passage of Relevant Bills through the Legislative Council on Friday 20 June 2025.
Chair of the Select Committee, the Hon Rod Roberts, wrote to the President after the witnesses’ non-attendance and requested that the President certify their non-appearance, requiring a Supreme Court judge to issue warrants to bring them before committee to give evidence, as set out in sections 7 to 9 of the Parliamentary Evidence Act 1901. During Tuesday’s sitting, the President explained that he had sought legal advice from Brett Walker SC to inform his next course of action.
On Wednesday, the President informed the House that the legal advice he had sought made it clear that ministerial staffers can be called to appear as witnesses before Legislative Council inquiries, that the proper procedures under section 4 were followed in summoning them, and that there was no valid reason or excuse for their failure to attend.
The President went on to explain that he was intending to publish and act on this advice, however he had been advised that the five witnesses had reconsidered their position and agreed to attend voluntarily a hearing scheduled on Friday 27 June 2025.
Read the President’s statement in full in the Hansard record.
INTRODUCED: ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT AMENDMENT (60 DAY DEEMED APPROVAL) BILL 2025
The Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (60 Day Deemed Approval) Bill 2025 was introduced in the Legislative Council by the Hon John Ruddick (Libertarian Party). This private members’ bill seeks to amend the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to provide that certain development applications, modification applications and certificates are deemed to have been approved if the consent authority or certifier has not determined the application within 60 days of it being made.
In his second reading speech, Mr Ruddick explained that the bill aims to tackle delays in local council development approvals by introducing a 60-day limit for determining certain residential development applications. If a council fails to decide within that timeframe, the application will be automatically approved. The bill excludes large-scale developments and instead focuses on everyday homeowners seeking to renovate, build granny flats, or make modest changes. Read more about the bill in Mr Ruddick’s second speech.
Following the bill’s introduction, debate was adjourned for five calendar days, according to standing order.
DEBATED: ELECTORAL FUNDING AMENDMENT (MAJOR POLITICAL DONORS) BILL 2025
Debate on the Electoral Funding Amendment (Major Political Donors) Bill 2025 continued on Wednesday. This private members’ bill seeks to amend the Electoral Funding Act 2018 requiring that applicants for government funding or an appointment to certain government positions must disclose if they are a major political donor. Find out more about this bill in our previous blog.
Contributions to the second reading debate were made by members of the Government and the Opposition. Read the full debate in the Hansard record.
Further debate on the bill was adjourned until a future sitting of the House.
GENERAL MOTIONS
The following motions were debated in the House over the course of the day:
| Topic | Moved by | Agreed to? |
| Select Committee on Competition Reforms in Electronic Conveyancing | The Hon Taylor Martin (Independent) | Agreed to |
| Cultural and musical contribution of AC/DC | The Hon Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party) | Agreed to |
| M52 Bus Service | The Hon Emily Suvaal (Labor) on behalf of the Hon Dr Sarah Kaine | Agreed to |
| Net Zero by 2050 commitments | The Hon Emily Suvaal (Labor) | Agreed to, on division (Ayes: 19/Noes: 13) |
| Service of Peter Elzer | Ms Sue Higginson (The Greens) | Adjourned, on division (Ayes: 19/Noes: 14) |
In addition to the above motions debated in the chamber, the following motions were agreed to without debate, during the morning’s formal business:
- Order for papers – 2025-2026 Budget, moved by the Hon Damien Tudehope (Liberal)
- Order for papers – 2025-2026 Budget Finances, also moved by Mr Tudehope
- 50th anniversary of the passing of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), moved by the Hon Cameron Murphy (Labor)
- Jeff Shaw Memorial Lecture 2025, also moved by Mr Murphy
- World Refugee Day 2025, also moved by Mr Murphy
- Order for papers – Allianz Stadium, McDonald Jones Stadium and Penrith Stadium, moved by the Hon Mark Latham (Independent)
- The Women’s Club, moved by the Hon Nichole Overall (Nationals)
- Service of Mr Johanes (Kancho) Wong, moved by the Hon Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party)
- International Cleaners Day 2025, moved by the Hon Mark Buttigieg (Labor)
- Walk With Christ Eucharistic Procession 2025, moved by the Hon Susan Carter (Liberal)
- Salt Care Nowra, moved by the Hon Natalie Ward (Liberal)
- Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Australia, moved by the Hon Rachel Merton (Liberal)
- Centenary of Queenwood School for Girls, also moved by Ms Merton
- Passing of Raymond Edward Peckham, moved by the Hon Stephen Lawrence (Labor)
- Cooma Correctional Centre heritage listing, also moved by Mr Lawrence
- Trackside Armidale, moved by the Hon Aileen MacDonald (Liberal)
- Business NSW Housing Challenges briefing in Armidale, also moved by Mrs MacDonald
ORDERS FOR PAPERS
A NEW SELECT COMMITTEE
On the motion of the Hon Taylor Martin (Independent) the House agreed to establish a new Select Committee to inquire into and report on competition reforms in electronic conveyancing in NSW. Read the full motion, which outlines the inquiry terms of reference, in the Hansard record. Keep an eye on our website where more details about this new inquiry will be published soon.