Committee Details

COMMITTEE’S REPORT

The committee tabled its report to the Legislative Assembly on 27 October 2023. The report is available here.  The committee also published an erratum to the Report. (Erratum)

Debate of the Bill in Parliament:
Transcript 15 November 2023 (pages 3565-3572)
Transcript 16 November 2023 (pages 3607-3619; 3648-3663) 
Transcript 28 November 2023 (pages 3703-3710) 

The debate can be viewed by clicking on the movie icon within the transcripts.

ABOUT THE BILL 

On 14 September 2023, the Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympics and Paralympics Sport and Engagement introduced the Emblems of Queensland and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 (Bill) into the Queensland Parliament.  The Bill was referred to the Economics and Governance Committee for detailed consideration.   

View: Explanatory speech  
View: Bill 
View: Explanatory Notes 
View: Statement of compatibility

The Bill proposes to amend the Emblems of Queensland Act 2005 (Emblems Act) to officially recognise the Muttaburrasaurus langdoni (The Muttaburrasaurus dinosaur) as the State’s fossil emblem. 

In addition to legislating for the State fossil emblem, the Bill contains amendments to the Crime and Corruption Act 2001 (Crime and Corruption Act), Parliamentary Service Act 1998 (Parliamentary Service Act) and Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 (Parliament of Queensland Act), to address a number of minor and technical issues to improve and clarify parliamentary processes. This includes:

• amending the Crime and Corruption Act and Parliament of Queensland Act to retrospectively clarify that since 23 April 1998, members of parliamentary committees, including the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee and its predecessor committees, have been able to participate in committee meetings in person or by telephone, video or other electronic means
• amending the Parliamentary Service Act to:
  • clarify that the parliamentary precinct includes the Legislative Assembly chamber and its galleries when the Legislative Assembly is sitting
  • provide that the Speaker is to prepare the human rights certificate and explanatory notes for by-laws and rules made by the Speaker under the Parliamentary Service Act
  • provide that in a proceeding for an offence related to a person’s behaviour on the parliamentary precinct, despite section 8 of the Parliament of Queensland Act (which provides that the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in the Assembly cannot be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of the Assembly), evidence may be given in a court or other place out of the Legislative Assembly of a direction made or purportedly made by the Speaker or a person authorised to make such directions during proceedings in the Legislative Assembly
• amending the Parliament of Queensland Act to refine the process by which a member of the Legislative Assembly in a state of ill health has their request for a proxy vote notified to the Assembly
• amending the Parliament of Queensland Act to update a number of cross references in the Act to definitions that are explained and provided for in the Electoral Act 1992.

SUBMISSIONS PROCESS

The committee invited submissions addressing any aspect of the Bill, from all interested parties.     

Submissions closed at 5pm on Wednesday 28 September 2023. Submissions received are accessible under the Submissions tab. 

PUBLIC BRIEFING

A public briefing was held on Monday 25 September 2023.  

REGIONAL PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC FORUM and site visits

The committee held a public hearing in Winton on Wednesday, 4 October 2023 and a public forum in Muttaburra on Thursday, 5 October 2023.

Transcripts of the proceedings are available at the bottom of this page (Bill Inquiry timeline) and under the Related Publications tab.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further information including written briefings or advice, correspondence, the response to submissions, transcripts and answers to questions taken on notice are available under the Related Publications tab.

BILL INQUIRY TIMELINE