Legal and Social Issues – Committee Chair

The committee’s functions are to inquire into and report on any proposal, matter or thing concerned with community services, education, gaming, health, and law and justice.

The Legal and Social Issues Committee (References) may inquire into, hold public hearings, consider and report on other matters that are relevant to its functions.

The Legal and Social Issues Committee (Legislation) may inquire into, hold public hearings, consider and report on any Bills or draft Bills referred by the Legislative Council, annual reports, estimates of expenditure or other documents laid before the Legislative Council in accordance with an Act, provided these are relevant to its functions.

Members:

Ms Fiona Patten (Chair)
Dr Tien Kieu (Deputy Chair)
The Hon. Jane Garrett

The Hon. Wendy Lovell
Ms Tania Maxwell
Mr Craig Ondarchie
Ms Kaushaliya Vaghela

Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations – Committee Member

The Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee’s (SARC) major areas of responsibility include the scrutiny of bills introduced into Parliament, the scrutiny of regulations and the review of redundant, unclear or ambiguous legislation. SARC also receives references from Parliament or by Governor-in-Council Order. These references typically require SARC to review an Act or issue concerning an Act and to report to Parliament.

The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 provides that the Committee must consider any Bill introduced into Parliament and must report to the Parliament whether the Bill is incompatible with Human Rights.

To see which Bills are currently before the Committee please note the following links

  • Bills this week lists all Bills Parliament is working on during a sitting week
  • Bills Status List provides the status of all bills introduced into the Parliament during the year

The Committee also has a role to examine all regulations, and certain legislative instruments (defined in the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994), against terms of reference in like terms for the scrutiny of Bills. For more information, see Scrutiny of Regulations.

Members:

Mr Mark Gepp (Chair)
Mr Neale Burgess (Deputy Chair)
Ms Sarah Connolly
Ms Sonya Kilkenny
Mrs Bev McArthur
Ms Fiona Patten
Ms Nina Taylor

Procedure Committee – Committee Member

At the commencement of each Parliament the Council will appoint a Procedure Committee to consider any matter regarding the practices and procedures of the House. Prior to 2010, the Committee was known as the Standing Orders Committee. In the 59th Parliament, members were appointed on the 21 March, 2019.

Members:

Ms Georgie Crozier
The Hon. David Davis
Mr Stuart Grimley
Dr Tien Kieu
The Hon. Shaun Leane
The Hon. Wendy Lovell
Ms Fiona Patten
The Hon. Jaala Pulford
The Hon. Jaclyn Symes