As Members and Senators return to Canberra this week for the first sitting period of the 45thParliament, CapitalHill Advisory is pleased to provide a few interesting facts about the week ahead:
The Coalition Party Room meeting today is expected to confirm the Hon Tony Smith MP as the Government’s candidate to be Speaker of the House of Representatives, ahead of the formal opening of Parliament tomorrow.
There are only two days of Question Time this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, following ceremonial events with the Governor-General on Tuesday to mark the return of Parliament.
The Annual Parliamentary Press Gallery Mid-Winter Ball will be held in the Great Hall of Parliament House on Wednesday evening and it is expected no-one will be spared from a grilling by MCs David Speers from Sky News and Andrew Meares from Fairfax.
Parliament will break next week to coincide with the Prime Minister travelling to China for the 11th G20 Summit, to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang on 4-5 September.
The Government is expected to introduce 25 priority Bills on Wednesday and Thursday this week, with the aim of passing them before the end of the year. The 25 priority reforms are outlined in the attached table, courtesy of The Australian.
Of the 39 new Members of the House of Representatives, there are two former members: Mr Steve Georganas MP (ALP, Hindmarsh, 2004–13, South Australia (SA)) and the Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM, MP (ALP, Eden-Monaro, 2007–13, New South Wales (NSW)).
The Senate also sees the return of two former Senators, Senator Louise Pratt (ALP, WA) and Senator Don Farrell (ALP, SA) and one former Member of the House of Representatives,Pauline Hanson (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (PHON), Qld).
Senator Hanson will return to Parliament some 18 years after departing the House of Representatives, having served as the PHON Member for Oxley (Qld) between 1996 and 1998.
PHON not only secured Senate representation for the first time, but they secured a total of four seats. They will be held by PHON Leader, Pauline Hanson (Qld), Brian Burston (NSW),Malcolm Roberts (Qld) and Rodney Culleton (WA).
The Hon Linda Burney MP (ALP, Barton, NSW) will become the first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Representatives. Ms Burney was also the first Indigenous person to be elected to the NSW Parliament.
Ms Rebekha Sharkie MP (NXT, Mayo, and SA) will become the first person elected to the House of Representatives from the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT). The three NXT South Australian Senators—Nick Xenophon, Stirling Griff and Skye Kakoschke-Moore — are also the first NXT candidates to be elected to the Senate.
Victorian Senator Derryn Hinch will become the first person elected to any Australian Parliament (Federal or State) from Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party (DHJP).
Following the federal election on 2 July, the number of women in the House of Representatives rose by three, from 40 (27 per cent) at the end of the 44th Parliament to 43 (29 per cent) in the 45th Parliament.
The number of women in the Senate rose slightly to 30 senators (39 per cent), one more than at the end of the 44th Parliament. Overall, the number of women in Parliament has risen by four, from 69 (31 per cent) to 73 (32 per cent).
For the first time at the commencement of a Parliament, all major parties have a female leader or deputy leader: Liberal Party Deputy Leader, the Hon Julie Bishop MP (LIB, Curtin, WA); The Nationals Deputy Leader, Senator the Hon Fiona Nash (NAT, NSW); ALP Deputy Leader, theHon Tanya Plibersek MP (ALP, Sydney, NSW); and Australian Greens Deputy Co-Leader,Senator Larissa Waters (AG, Qld).
Finally, there are only seven (7) Parliamentary sitting weeks before Christmas! Check out the Sitting Calendar here.
