UPDATED 16 JUNE 2020

When is Parliament due to meet?

You can view the full sitting day calendar here.

Can I attend  the Parliament?

The Parliament building is temporarily closed to the public until further notice. However, the proceedings of either House can be viewed live on our webcasts. Public tours have also been suspended until further notice. However, you can access a virtual tour of the Parliament here.

While the Parliament remains closed to the public, including visits from school groups, the Education team are up and running with their videoconferencing program for primary schools. If you would like more information or to make a booking, please contact us on (02) 9230 2047 or [email protected].

How is social distancing being observed in Parliament?

The Parliament has taken strict measures to ensure the rules of social distancing are being observed. A reduced number of Members are present in both Chambers. Seating arrangements in both Chambers have been adjusted to ensure that all Members and parliamentary staff are at least 1.5 metres apart.

How do Members vote if they can't all be in the Chamber?

Votes are still called for in the same way – the Presiding Officer puts the question and asks Members to say 'Aye' or 'No'. It's only when a Member challenges the Presiding Officer's conclusion ('I think the Ayes/Noes have it') that a full vote is called for – a division. New procedures apply for the conduct of divisions in both Chambers. In the Legislative Council, Members are using the Public Galleries as well as the Chamber itself, allowing all Members to participate in the sittings. When a division is conducted Members stand in their place to be counted. First the "ayes" are asked to stand and be counted, then they sit down and the "noes" are asked to stand and are counted. This is to avoid the usual process of members sitting in close proximity on either side of the chamber when voting. During divisions in the Legislative Assembly, Members enter the Chamber, register their vote with the tellers and exit the Chamber through the side doors.

How can I contact my local member?

Members are working hard in their electorates to help their communities during the pandemic. You can find the contact details for all Members of Parliament here.

Are parliamentary committees still working?

The work of committees from both Houses continues despite the limitations imposed by COVID-19. Committee meetings and hearings are being held via video conference with Members logging in from all across New South Wales.

You can find out what is happening in Committees this month here.

The public hearings of Committees may be live streamed on our website – so check our committee pages for details.

Can reports and papers still be tabled?

Ministers and statutory officers are currently permitted to table electronically, removing the need to be physically present in the House. Sessional orders also allow Ministers who would otherwise be required to table papers in the House on sitting days to lodge them with the Clerks instead.

Certain committee reports can also be tabled with the Clerks when Parliament is not sitting. A good example being the Legislation Review Committee.

Can Members still ask a Parliamentary Question or give a Community Recognition Statement?

Members of the Legislative Council can lodge questions on notice on any day. A Question and Answer paper is published daily by the Legislative Council.

Members of the Legislative Assembly can lodge written questions and Community Recognition Statements on sitting days only. There is no provision for lodgement on non-sitting days.

The Parliament has the power to disallow certain regulations – what happens if Parliament isn't sitting?

Any statutory rules made while Parliament is not sitting can only be disallowed once parliamentary sittings resume. If a disallowance resolution is passed the regulation would cease to have effect. Questions concerning disallowance and related House procedure should be referred to the Clerk's Office:

Legislative Assembly: 9230 2666

Legislative Council: 9230 2773

Can I still lodge a petition?

You can still lodge a petition with Parliament. Petitions will be tabled once Parliament resumes sitting. Information about how to lodge a petition can be found here.

How can I stay up to date on the work of Parliament?

Stay up to date on what is happening by following our social media channels:

Facebook

Parliament of NSW: https://www.facebook.com/parliamentnsw

Legislative Council: https://www.facebook.com/nswupperhouse

Twitter

Legislative Assembly: https://twitter.com/NSWParlLA

Legislative Council: https://twitter.com/nsw_upperhouse

Parliamentary Research: https://twitter.com/nswparlresearch

Instagram

Parliament of NSW: www.instagram.com/nswparliament/

Can I still contact the Parliament with an enquiry?

General enquiries on parliamentary procedure, Members and bills can be sent here.

Where can I get the latest information on COVID-19?

You can find the most recent information regarding COVID-19 from NSW Health and the Government's dedicated COVID-19 page.