Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the first items on the Petitions Committee's agenda will be to consider the large number of petitions received over the election period. It is encouraging to witness the high level of public engagement with petitioning and, in particular, with e-petitioning. I look forward to reporting on the first petitions approved by the committee in my next statement to the House.

The committee notes the recent changes to standing orders relating to petitioning the House, which includes the banning of web links in petitions and a new requirement that petitioners and signatories be residents or citizens of Australia. These rules capture some of the recommendations of the previous committee, from its report into the future of petitioning in the House. We await the government response to the committee's remaining recommendations over the coming weeks. In the meantime, the committee will work to educate members and the general public about the new rules and monitor the impact of these changes over the parliament.

We anticipate continuing the previous committee's work of improving public engagement in petitioning the House and assisting people to make, create and share petitions to make their voices heard. I look forward to updating the House further on the work of the Petitions Committee.