Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members, just bear with me. I have a short statement to make before we get underway. I wish to draw the attention of members to the altered arrangements in the chamber and the Federation Chamber for this week's budget sittings. These arrangements reflect the current COVID-safe advice under the one-person-per-two-square-metre rule and are likely to remain in place until there is a variation in the risk profile.

Clearly, the most obvious change is the seating arrangement. For the first time since 5 March 2020, the full membership of the House can once again be accommodated within the chamber at one time. Each member has a nominated seat. Please sit only in your seat, and note that you will not be recognised by the chair unless you're seeking the call from your nominated seat. At this stage it has not been possible to seat all ministers and shadow ministers on their respective front benches, but this situation will remain under review.

During divisions, the tellers will continue to operate from near the Hansard table, which will not otherwise be occupied. This will avoid crowding down here near the Speaker's chair and where the clerks are. The questions put in any division will still be expressed in such a form as to minimise the need for most members to cross the chamber floor for any count. There are empty seats around the rear of the chamber on the side voting for the ayes. These can be used by the crossbench or others, and any occupants will be counted with the ayes during divisions.

There are precautions in place to ensure that all occupants of the chamber can be identified, if required, by contact tracers. Advisers using the advisers boxes are expected, on entry to the chamber, to scan the QR codes posted outside the chamber doors to my left and right. I have spoken to the whips and asked them to enforce this practice. Members of the media using the press gallery above me must use the QR codes located there as well. All visitors in public galleries will be known either to my office or to Visitor Services. Of course, a record is already kept of members attending the chamber, as you're aware. These steps are necessary in order to increase the number of people allowed to be in the chamber at any one time. Seating capacity in the Federation Chamber will return to normal, and advisers and visitors there will need to record their entry by scanning QR codes. You'll notice the placement of QR codes at the entrances to party rooms. Whilst it's not necessary for members to scan in for party room meetings, anyone else will need to scan in, and all occupants, including members, will need to scan in when the rooms are being used for other events. I've spoken to the whips about their offices managing events in the party rooms in a COVID-safe way.

In order to allow us to maintain a more normal operating environment within Parliament House, it's imperative that members and all building occupants continue to observe COVID-safe behaviours, including not attending parliament when unwell—it's particularly important with the onset of winter, when respiratory illnesses are, of course, more common, and any respiratory illness requires testing and isolation, pending results; observing COVID respiratory and hand hygiene, such as coughing into your elbow, hand sanitising and regular handwashing; and, when travelling, being aware of jurisdictional requirements and also registering attendance, including using QR codes, which are placed throughout the building.

The President of the Senate and I will continue to take regular advice from medical authorities on appropriate COVID precautions. Arrangements in the chambers and at Parliament House will be adjusted to reflect the expert advice, and, of course, I will advise members of any new developments. Finally, I encourage all members to download the Check In CBR app for use around the building and around Canberra, if you haven't already done so. I want to thank the whips, the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business for the discussions we had leading up to today's sitting, and I thank the House.