Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

This motion on petitions to permanently adopt the orders introduced in the 42nd Parliament as sessional orders does have the support of the House. The changes that were made to the way petitions are presented, and responded to by ministers, have been beneficial. Each year tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of Australians right throughout this land sign petitions to both this House and the other place. They do so in good faith, believing that some note will be taken of their petition by people responsible for making decisions in this place.

The change which allows members to speak to the petition they are presenting on behalf of their constituents or citizens of Australia places more force behind the presentation of the petition. As we all know, previously we had a situation where once a week, I think, the Clerk would read the petitions to the parliament and then they went into a black hole—somewhere into the archives of this building, I presume, or wherever else parliamentary records are archived. Now there is a process allowing members to speak to the petition on behalf of those citizens of Australia and then, equally importantly, there is a process to ensure a response is provided to those people who have taken the time to petition the parliament about a matter which they believe is important—a response from the government. So this has been a worthwhile and beneficial improvement to the system that operated in the past and, as I said, it is a matter which has the support of all members of the House. It certainly has the support of members of the coalition and we look forward to its continued operation in this parliament.

Question agreed to.

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