Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to sincerely thank members of the committee who have joined me in ensuring that during these recent COVID-safe sittings of parliament we continue to facilitate the important process of petitioning. The committee has continued to meet via teleconference, with a minimum of disruption, to consider petitions and related matters and plans to do so until further notice.

It has been particularly important for the committee to work flexibly during this time, because the House petitioning system continues to see a great deal of engagement by the Australian people. For example, an e-petition tabled in the last sitting period collected over 300,000 signatures, which is the third-largest number of signatures on an e-petition to date. Another petition which recently closed collected over 100,000 signatures, and many more experienced large amounts of engagement by the public.

This means that around half a million people have exercised their rights, and engaged directly with the parliament, over the past few weeks—a great result for democracy and the House e-petitioning system, and an indication of the consistent popularity of petitioning as a way for people to have their say.

These figures also demonstrate the usefulness of the e-petitioning system as a means for Australians to continue petitioning the House, while remaining COVID-safe. As a committee, we are pleased to be able to facilitate these important rights of all Australians while they remain socially distanced.

Thank you, and I look forward to further updating the House on the work of the Petitions Committee in the future.