Category: Legislative Council

Through the parliamentary twinning program, the NSW Parliament is paired with the parliaments of Bougainville and Solomon Islands. In this Twin Peeks blog, we meet Ruby Garnean, a Senior Procedure Officer from the Bougainville House of Representatives... Can you give us a quick overview of the Bougainville House of Representatives? The Bougainville House of Representatives (BHoR) … Continue reading Twin Peeks: Meet Ruby Garnean, a Senior Procedure Officer from the Bougainville House of Representatives

NSW voters have been allowed a secret ballot since 1858 - but what happens when someone wants to make a submission or give evidence to a parliamentary committee inquiry anonymously? Making a submission to a committee inquiry is an important way members of the public can participate in their democracy in the years between elections. … Continue reading Parliamentary inquiries and ‘anonymous’ evidence

We made it to the final sitting day for 2021! While this time last year the Council had just sat through the night, the final sitting day of 2021 – a private members' day – saw the House adjourn just in time for dinner. Members debated and agreed to three bills, introduced by members of … Continue reading In the House – Thursday 25 November 2021

The first of two private members’ days in the final sitting week, Wednesday saw the House debate, amend and agree to two bills - one dealing with climate change emissions targets, and the other the creation of an offence of industrial manslaughter. Second reading debates on bills banning discrimination against sex workers, regulating puppy farms, … Continue reading In the House – Wednesday 24 November 2021

The first day in the final sitting week of 2021 got off to a big start! To start the day, the President gave the third in his series of Bicentenary statements in the lead up to the 200th anniversary of the first sitting of the Council in 2024. Debate on a motion to establish an … Continue reading In the House – Tuesday 23 November 2021

A return to government business on Friday saw five bills agreed to – including two bills which amended the Crimes Act 1900. The House also considered two messages from the Assembly relating to amendments to the Modern Slavery Amendment Bill 2021 and Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 – in short, there were lots of amendments! … Continue reading In the House – Friday 19 November 2021

It was the week's second private members' day on Thursday, with three new bills introduced – spanning climate change, the sale of state-owned assets, and the establishment of protected areas for koalas. Debate also resumed on the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission Amendment Bill and the Work Health and Safety Amendment (Industrial Manslaughter) Bill, and more … Continue reading In the House – Thursday 18 November 2021

On Wednesday - which was the first of two private members’ days in the sitting week - three private members’ bills were introduced, including a bill banning the termination of pregnancies for the purposes of sex selection, a bill to exclude users of medicinal cannabis from NSW driving offences, and a bill to strengthen accountability … Continue reading In the House – Wednesday 17 November 2021

Tuesday saw the House back to Government business in the second week of the epic three-week November sitting block and it was all bills, bills, bills. A number of government bills were received from the Legislative Assembly and a further two were introduced in the House. In the evening, the House considered the Electronic Transactions … Continue reading In the House – Tuesday 16 November 2021

It was back to Government business on Friday, with three bills agreed to and returned to the Legislative Assembly for consideration of the amendments agreed to in the Council. Members also contributed to debate on proposed reforms to sexual consent laws and, following the suspension of standing and sessional orders, Mr Searle introduced a private … Continue reading In the House – Friday 12 November 2021