What to look out for this Parliamentary sitting week

The House and the Senate will return on the 26th of July for the first sitting week of the 47th Parliament.?

The first sitting day will be largely ceremonial, with the Governor-General officially opening Parliament and the election of the new Speaker and President.?

The Government has also indicated it intends to introduce 18 pieces of legislation in the first sitting week. Legislation to enshrine a 43% emissions reduction target, proposed aged care reforms and paid family and domestic violence leave is expected to be introduced, however, specific details have not been released.

New Members and Senators will also be given the opportunity to deliver their first speech. There are 35 new Lower House Members and thus, inaugural speeches are set to continue through to the September sitting weeks. Parliamentary rules state that lower house members cannot contribute to debates before they have given their first speech. The same rule does not apply in the Senate.?

Question Time will not be held on the first sitting day.?

While Parliament House will remain open to the public, Covid-19 measures are still in place. The gallery in each chamber will be closed to the public on the 26th of July. Outdoor and Indoor Events will require a Covid-19 Safety Plan and the use of masks is strongly encouraged when physical distancing is not possible.?

House of Representatives

Tuesday ?

A local Indigenous Group will conduct a Welcome to Country prior to Members assembling in the House of Representatives at 10.30 am.

Two deputies appointed by the Governor-General will attend the Senate chamber and request the attendance of Members of the House of Representatives to the Senate to open the Parliament formally.?

The opening of the Parliament in the Senate reflects a British custom, where the Queen does not enter the Lower House and thus, opens the Parliament in the House of Lords. Similarly, the Governor-General as the Queen’s representative in Australia does not enter the House of Representatives.?

The Usher of the Black Rod, in a ceremony also imitating long-standing UK parliamentary practice, knocks on the door of the House chamber three times before being granted entry to deliver the Governor-General’s request.

Members then return to the House of Representatives to be sworn in. House standing orders require that some formal business be conducted prior to the? Governor-General’s speech. Thus, the Government’s first bill will be introduced to the House.?

Governor-General David Hurley will then outline the Labor government's priorities for the next three years. Once the Governor-General’s opening speech has been reported in the chamber, the members will choose a member to serve as Speaker, replacing the current speaker Andrew Wallace.??

An ‘address in reply’ motion is then proposed, allowing members to participate in the government’s program for the new Parliament. The address in reply motion is the opportunity for newly elected members to give their first speeches.?

Wednesday?

Wednesday will begin with the Government introducing a series of bills to the House. The Government has confirmed their climate emissions bill and aged care reforms will be among the first bills to be introduced.?

Wednesday morning will also see the continuation of the address-in-reply motion. A formal schedule of speeches had not been released, the House Daily Program will be released every morning that Parliament is in session. The Daily House Agenda can be accessed here.?

The address in reply motion will pause at 2 pm on both Wednesday and Thursday, for Ministerial statements and Question Time. In the 47th Parliament, the cross-bench will get three questions every Question Time.?

Cost of living pressures, the 43% emissions reduction target, the foot and mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia and the subsequent biosecurity measures are expected to dominate Question Time.?

New Members will continue to deliver their first speeches in the afternoon.?

Thursday

Thursday will follow the same schedule as Wednesday.?

The only notable exception is that Treasurer Jim Chalmers will deliver a statement on the economy on Thursday morning.?

?The complete draft legislation program for the House of Representatives can be found here. ?

Senate

The official opening of the Senate follows the same pattern of events as the House of Representatives.

?The Senate must also choose a senator to serve as President. The Governor-General will attend the Senate, generally at 3 pm, to open Parliament and to deliver a speech declaring ‘the cause of calling the Parliament together’?

Only 12 new Senators have been elected - thus, a significant portion of the first week has been dedicated to first speeches - pausing on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon for Government Business and Question Time.?

?A full list of legislation scheduled in the Senate can be found here.?