It was full steam ahead during the second last official sitting week for the year and the 58th parliament, with the House passing 14 bills. A number of significant committee reports were tabled or reported, including one about the Redeemer Baptist School and another about data centres in NSW, with several committee Chairs speaking to the inquiries in impassioned take note speeches. Additionally, several new orders for papers were agreed to, and on Thursday afternoon, the Upper House’s newest member delivered his inaugural speech.
Read on to find out more about what happened in the Legislative Council this week…
INAUGURAL SPEECH – THE HON BERNARD GOVIND
At 5:30pm on Thursday afternoon, the Hon Bernard Govind gave his inaugural speech in the Council chamber to an audience including his wife and two children, friends and former colleagues including federal MP Tony Burke, and Upper House members. Mr Govind was elected and sworn in to the Upper House in October, following the resignation of the Hon Greg Donnelly.
In his first speech, Mr Govind spoke of the honour of being the first person of Fijian background to become a member of NSW Parliament, his family’s history and escape to Australia during a political coup, and the legal and union backgrounds that have ultimately led him to his new position in the Legislative Council.
As is traditional, the conclusion of Mr Govind’s speech was met with a standing ovation in the chamber, with members warmly welcoming their newest colleague. Read Mr Govind’s inaugural speech in the Hansard record.
BILLS INTRODUCED
BILLS DEBATED
BILLS PASSED
This week the House passed 14 government bills, which is a significant increase on recent weeks and helped clear a large backlog of government bills on the Legislative Council Notice Paper. In total, 18 government bills remain on the Notice Paper for next week, expected to be the last sitting week of the year.
- Electoral Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous) Bill 2026
- Electoral Funding Amendment (Advance Payments) Bill 2026
- Criminal Procedure and Other Legislation Amendment (Victim Experience Reforms) Bill 2026
- Electricity Supply Amendment (Renewable Fuel Scheme) Bill 2026
- Health Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026
- Crimes Amendment (Serious Road Crimes) Bill 2026
- Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026
- Crimes Amendment (Prohibited Organisation Symbols) Bill 2026
- Local Government Amendment (Labour Hire) Bill 2026
- Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026
- Emergency Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
- Motor Accident Injuries Amendment (Claim Farming Practices Prohibition) Bill 2025
- Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce) Bill 2026
- Coal Innovation Administration Amendment Bill 2026
IN COMMITTEES
The following committee reports were either tabled or reported in the House last week:
- Fertility support and assisted reproductive treatment, Report No. 1 of the Select Committee on Fertility Support and Assisted Reproductive Treatment, dated October 2026
- Football in Schools program, Report No. 1 of the Select Committee into the Football in Schools program, dated October 2026
- Alleged unauthorised disclosures of unreported proceedings of Portfolio Committee No. 7 – Planning and Environment, Report No. 113 of the Privileges Committee, dated November 2026
- Data centres, Report No. 10 of the Public Accountability and Works Committee, dated November 2026
- State of live music in New South Wales, Report No. 69 of the Standing Committee on Social Issues, dated November 2026
- Redeemer Baptist School, Report No. 57 of Portfolio Committee No. 3 – Education, dated November 2026
- Legislation Review Digest No. 54/58, Report of the Legislation Review Committee, dated 10 November 2026
- Delegated Legislation Monitor No. 14 of 2026, Report of the Delegated Legislation Committee, dated November 2026
- What Lies Beneath: The Corporate Capture of Venues NSW at Allianz Stadium, Report No. 1 of the Select Committee into the Failure of the Playing Surface at Allianz Stadium, dated November 2026
- 2025 review of annual and other reports of oversighted agencies, Report No. 5/58 of the Committee on the Ombudsman, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and the Crime Commission, dated November 2026
GENERAL MOTIONS
| Topic | Moved by | Agreed to? |
| Comments of One Nation candidate Stuart Bonds, continued here | The Hon Bob Nanva (Labor) | Agreed to, as amended, on division (Ayes: 20/Noes: 15) |
| Academic achievement at Briar Road Public School | The Hon Mark Latham (Independent) | Agreed to |
| Cybersecurity in New South Wales local health districts | Dr Amanda Cohn (The Greens) | Agreed to |
ORDERS FOR PAPERS
| Request | Moved by | Agreed to? | Due date |
| Universal Preschool Funding Program | The Hon Sarah Mitchell (Nationals) | Agreed to, as amended | 2 December 2026 |
| Coal mining and water in New South Wales | Ms Cate Faehrmann (The Greens) | Agreed to, as amended | 2 December 2026 |
| Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Disaster Adaptation | The Hon Sarah Mitchell (Nationals) | Agreed to | 18 November 2026 |
| Mulloway, Snapper and Yellowtail Kingfish Harvest Strategies | The Hon Mark Banasiak (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) | Agreed to, as amended | 16 December 2026 |
| The Bathla Group and its subsidiaries | The Hon Chris Rath (Liberal) | Agreed to, as amended | 2 December 2026 |
| Camden Hospital | The Hon Rachel Merton (Liberal) | Agreed to, on division (Ayes: 16/Noes: 14) | 2 December 2026 |
| Pest Management in New South Wales | The Hon Sarah Mitchell, on behalf of the Hon Scott Barrett (Nationals) | Agreed to | 2 December 2026 |