Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I present the 27th report of the Petitions Committee for the 45th Parliament, together with four petitions and 22 ministerial responses to petitions previously presented.

The four petitions I present today are paper petitions. A number of electronic petitions are currently open for signatures on the Australian Parliament House website. These petitions will be presented to the House after the four-week signature period.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Mr Speaker, for responding in detail to the committee's report into the House e-petitions system on behalf of the Department of the House of Representatives. The report made a number of recommendations to enhance the system, and the committee looks forward to seeing these improve the user experience and simplify the process of creating, signing and sharing e-petitions to the House.

As foreshadowed in the committee's report, the committee is this week launching its next inquiry into the future of petitioning. The inquiry will assess the role and operations of the committee and review the current practice and procedures of petitioning in the House. In conducting the inquiry, the committee will give consideration to how other parliaments facilitate petitioning, and will be seeking submissions that address the terms of reference.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I look forward to updating the House further on the work of the Petitions Committee, and on the progress of the committee's new inquiry.