It was almost back to business as usual in the Legislative Council this week, with the House debating and passing bills, motions and orders for papers at a steady pace.
However, the ongoing disagreement between the House and the Government in relation to orders for papers was not entirely forgotten. Readers would be familiar from past editions of In the House with the ongoing dispute between the House and the Government concerning the tabling of the so-called Sackar review into criminal law protections against the incitement of hatred. On Tuesday, the Deputy Leader of the Government the Hon John Graham (previously censured in the absence of the Leader of the Government who had already been suspended) was once again required to provide an explanation to the House for the ongoing failure to table the review. You can read Minister Graham’s full explanation in the Hansard record,
With the document still not tabled, Dr Amanda Cohn (The Greens), informed the House that instead of moving for the suspension of Minister Graham once again, she would move a motion aimed at finding “a more effective way forward” on this matter. The motion called on the President to consult with the Government and Opposition Leaders appointing an independent legal adviser who would provide a legal opinion whether the Sackar review should be classed as Cabinet-in-confidence or otherwise withheld from the House. The motion required the opinion to be tabled on 23 June 2026. This motion was agreed to on Thursday, providing an alternative path forward for this matter. Read the motion in full in the Hansard record.
Readers would also be familiar with the disagreement between the House and the Government concerning the calling of witnesses before committees. This follows the decision of the Court of Appeal in Cullen v President in December 2025 invalidating ss 7-9 of the Parliamentary Evidence Act. In response, in May the House inserted amendments to reform the Parliamentary Evidence Act into a separate bill: the Road Transport Amendment (Demerit Points Reduction) Bill 2026. These amendments were able to be considered due to a recently adopted sessional order allowing the House to consider amendments to any Government bill in relation to the appearance of witnesses before the House and its committees.
On Thursday, the House considered a message from the Legislative Assembly disagreeing with the Council’s amendments to the Road Transport Amendment (Demerit Points Reduction) Bill 2026 and returning the bill to the Council for further consideration. On the House resolving into a committee of the whole to consider the Assembly’s message, the committee resolved to insist on its original amendments. The bill was returned to the Assembly with a message to this effect. This unusual situation between the two Houses now rests with the Legislative Assembly for the next response.
Read on for more about what happened in the Legislative Council this week…
BILLS INTRODUCED
BILLS DEBATED
BILLS PASSED
- Crimes Legislation Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2026
- Crimes Legislation Amendment (Organised and Gang-related Crime Reforms) Bill 2026
- Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Good Character) Bill 2026
- Parliamentary Budget Officer Amendment Bill 2026
- Crimes and Summary Offences Amendment Bill 2025
IN COMMITTEES
On Wednesday, the House agreed to establish a new Privileges Committee inquiry into noncompliance by Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission. More information about this inquiry will be available on the committee website soon.
The following committee reports were either tabled or reported in the House this week:
- Delegated Legislation Monitor, report no. 7 of 2026 of the Delegated Legislation Committee, dated June 2026
- Legislation Review Digest, report no. 47/58of the Legislation Review Committee, dated 2 June 2026
- Report no. 49 of the Selection of Bills Committee, dated 2 June 2026
GENERAL MOTIONS
| Topic | Moved by | Agreed to? |
| Redress for the legal experiences of the Moore and Jackson families | Ms Sue Higginson (The Greens) | Agreed to |
| Drought conditions and support in regional New South Wales | The Hon Scott Barrett (The Nationals) | Agreed to |
| Private sector investment in renewable energy infrastructure | The Hon Stephen Lawrence (Labor) | Agreed to, as amended, on division (Ayes: 17/Noes: 12) |
| Findings of the inquest into the death of Jerwin Royupa and the Anti-Slavery Hotline | The Hon Susan Carter (Liberal) | Agreed to |
| Australian fertility rates and population policy | The Hon Jeremy Buckingham (Legalise Cannabis Party) | Agreed to, as amended |
| 2025 rental reforms and no-grounds evictions | The Hon Dr Sarah Kaine (Labor) | Interrupted for adjournment |
| Legal advice – Review of criminal law protections against the incitement of hatred | Dr Amanda Cohn (The Greens) | Agreed to, on division (Ayes: 22/Noes: 15 ) |
ORDERS FOR PAPERS
| Request | Moved by | Agreed to? | Due date |
| Employment, leave or termination of officials within the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure | The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal) | Agreed to | 24 June 2026 |
| Firearm suppressors or silencers | The Hon Robert Borsak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party) | Agreed to | 1 July 2026 |
| NSW Government property audit for housing | The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended | 1 July 2026 |
| Meetings with lobbyists and clients – Further Order | Ms Abigail Boyd (The Greens) | Agreed to, as amended | 24 June 2026 |
| Workplace culture review conducted into Concord Repatriation General Hospital between 2023 and 2024 | The Hon Susan Carter (Liberal) | Agreed to | 1 July 2026 |