The House in Review

Rounding out the first sitting week for 2022, Thursday began with a joint sitting with the Legislative Assembly, where a new member of the Legislative Council was elected. The House then went on debate a disallowance motion concerning floodplain harvesting, discuss school performance measures as a matter of public importance, and pass two bills. Read … Continue reading In the House – Thursday 24 February 2022

The first private members' day of 2022 was legislation-packed, with the introduction of a bill to enable eligible people with a terminal illness to access voluntary assisted dying, and the House debating a further three bills. In committee of the whole, members also considered a message from the Legislative Assembly regarding its amendments to a … Continue reading In the House – Wednesday 23 February 2022

While our Upper House committees have been busy since January, this Tuesday members headed back to the chamber for the first sitting day of 2022. A government business day, there were a number of general motions and announcements, as well as the passage of two bills. Before we get stuck into the recap, a quick … Continue reading In the House – Tuesday 22 February 2022

As another year draws to a close, join us for a quick look back at some of the key stats, facts and events from the Legislative Council's work in 2021… By the numbers: Facts and figures from 2021 We said it last year… but what a year! The quantity of work completed by the Council … Continue reading The year in review: 2021 in the 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