Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The last time I addressed the House following the presentation of petitions on behalf of the Petitions Committee, I commented on the role and the responsibilities of members physically presenting petitions to the House. Today I will expand on members' lesser recognised roles and involvement in the petitioning process, irrespective of whether they present a petition in the process or not.

Today's announcement of two petitions belies the actual number of in-order petitions assessed by the committee in the last sitting week. There were just as many petitions agreed to be presented by members in one of their speaking opportunities. However, the numbers do not usually go this way. Over the course of a year the bulk of petitions received by the committee are presented by the chair, a presentation arrangement which is provided for in the standing orders. But this does not necessarily mean there hasn't been a member involved in the process.

Members play a key role in the House petitioning process. Members' electorate offices are often the first port of call of a local citizen trying to negotiate a bureaucratic maze, air a grievance, or simply ask about government administration processes or regulations. Members' offices provide a link between their local people and the information people need to prepare a valid petition to the House.

Not all petitioners request their local member to present a petition—for a variety of reasons, one being that the chair's presentation has a known time frame after committee assessment, which is attractive to some. This means that petitions presented by the chair have, more often than not, been received after a petitioner has liaised with a member's office.

Members provide a direct and very accessible link between the House of Representatives and the citizens in the communities they represent. The ability to come in direct contact with a member, and/or the staff in a member's office, becomes increasingly attractive as citizens everywhere are directed more and more towards self-service communication and transactions.

The general decline in 'real' person-to-person interaction is simultaneously happening in a world where the average 'Australian in the street' has significantly more access to information (be it fact or fiction). The majority of Australians have internet access at home and/or mobile internet access. This has enabled some citizens to navigate government information far more easily and to work independently towards finding a solution to their concerns.

For others, however, the ability to access or locate information online may be hindered. They may prefer a more traditional method of checking facts and gathering information. They may simply prefer face-to-face contact. This means that, although the Petitions Committee provides useful online resources and can assist through telephone, email and mail support, members' electorate offices may be the first, and sometimes only, place that citizens will contact when they are drawing up their petition. It is often the first place a petitioner attends after they have already collected signatures on a petition prepared with no reference to House rules.

The committee has found, as you would expect, that members generally have a sincere, dedicated attitude to petitioning. Many of their offices retain direct liaison with petitioners from start to finish. They may forward inquiries to the committee secretariat on behalf of a prospective petitioner and act as the conduit for suggestions on draft petitions. Some members provide a collection point for a petition and deliver the finished petition to Parliament House. This happens regularly.

However, an important point to note is that a member of the House of Representatives, as per standing order 205(c), is unable to actually be a principal petitioner, and they cannot sign a petition either. This ensures the spirit of petitioning is maintained—that petitioning is undertaken by citizens to their elected representatives. This rule also maintains the independence of members who may be asked to assist petitioners with the requirements of petitioning, or to deliver a petition to the Petitions Committee.

In conclusion, members have an important role to play in assisting petitioners to prepare their petitions in compliance with House requirements. They may assist a petitioner to tailor their petition terms so as to meet standing order requirements; they may accept delivery of petitions; and they may arrange for their delivery to the House. However, we expect the ownership of the petition, and the signature collection process, to remain with the principal petitioner. Thank you.