Week beginning 13 February 2023

This page provides an overview of the key events of the last sitting week in the House of Representatives. It includes all bills presented and debated, and selected statements, debates and committee business. For the official record of proceedings, see the Votes and Proceedings. For a detailed procedural account of events, see the Procedural Digest and House Review.

Key events

• Ministerial statement: Fifteenth anniversary of the National Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples and the Closing the Gap Implementation Plan. Debated and referred to the Federation Chamber for further debate (13 February) 
• Retirement of Mr Colin Christian (16 February)
• Statements, by indulgence, made in relation to missing miners at Dugald River mine, Queensland (16 February)
  
  

Legislation

8 bills were presented, and 6 bills were passed by the House

Ministerial Statements

• Fifteenth anniversary of the national apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples and the Closing the Gap Implementation Plan—Prime Minister (13 February)

Matters of Public Importance

• Defence spending (14 February)
• Cost of living (15 February)
• Cost of living (16 February)

Committee and delegation business

Committee reports presented   

Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters 

• Advisory report on the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022 (13 February) 

Standing Committee on Petitions

• Report 4: Petitions and Ministerial responses—Report, 6 February 2023—Correction (13 February)
• Report 5: Ministerial responses (13 February)

Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests

• Report concerning the registration and declaration of Members’ interests during 2022 (16 February)

Selection Committee

• Report No. 9 relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and private members’ business on Monday, 6 March 2023 (15 February) 

Government response

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

• Review of the 2022 relisting of four organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code (14 February) 

There were no delegation reports presented

Private Members' business

The following private members' bills were introduced on Monday, 13 February

• Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Cleaning up Political Donations) 2023—Mr Wilkie (Clark, Tas)
• Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) 2023—Mr Tehan (Wannon, Vic)
• Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Stop PEP11 and Protect Our Coast) 2023—Ms Steggall (Warringah, NSW)

The following private members' motions were moved and debated on Monday, 13 February

• Albanese Government—Ms Miller-Frost (Boothby, SA)
• Australia Day 2023 awards—Mr Hogan (Page, NSW)
• Housing—Ms Tink (North Sydney, NSW)
• Mental health support—Mrs McIntosh (Lindsay, NSW)
• Motorsports—Mr van Manen (Forde, Qld)
• Nicotine vaping products—Ms Chaney (Curtin, WA)
• Northern Territory—Mrs Andrews (McPherson, Qld)
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme—Dr Freelander for Dr Reid (Robertson, NSW)
• Skin cancer—Dr Freelander (Macarthur, NSW)
• Victorian Black Saturday Bushfires—Mr R Mitchell (McEwen, Vic)
• Volunteering—Ms Stanley (Werriwa, NSW)

Debate resumed on the following private members' motions on Monday, 13 February

• Housing—Ms Tink (North Sydney, NSW)
• Nuclear energy—Dr Gillespie (Lyne, NSW)