Standing Committee on Social Issues

Introduction

The Social Issues Committee was first established on 9 June 1988 in the 49th Parliament and has been reappointed in each subsequent Parliament.  The committee was most recently reappointed on 10 May 2023 in the 58th Parliament.

The committee was established to inquire into and report on:

  • issues concerned with the social development and wellbeing of the people of New South Wales, including health, education, housing, ageing, disability, children's services and community services, and 
  • matters concerned with citizenship, sport and recreation and gaming and racing.

The Standing Committee on Social Issues has published three Legacy Reports:

Members
Chair:
Sarah Kaine (Australian Labor Party, Legislative Council)
Deputy Chair:
Sarah Mitchell (The Nationals, Legislative Council)
Members:
Inquiries

During the current parliament, the following inquiries have been undertaken by the committee:

Start dateInquiry
Tue 07 October 2025State of live music in New South Wales
Mon 18 August 2025New South Wales university sector
Tue 06 August 2024Impacts of harmful pornography on mental, emotional, and physical health
Tue 06 August 2024Prevalence, causes and impacts of loneliness in New South Wales
Wed 11 October 2023Procurement practices of government agencies in New South Wales and its impact on the social development of the people of New South Wales

Records of earlier inquiries undertaken by the committee:

Start dateInquiry
Tue 18 October 2022Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Bill 2022
Wed 23 March 2022Homelessness amongst older people aged over 55 in New South Wales
Tue 09 November 2021Crimes Amendment (Display of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2021
Thu 13 May 2021Review of the Heritage Act 1977
Wed 11 March 2020State Records Act 1998 and the Policy Paper on its review
Tue 15 October 2019Gay and Transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010 - 57th Parliament
Tue 06 August 2019Modern Slavery Act 2018 and associated matters
Tue 06 August 2019Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019
Tue 28 May 2019Provisions of the Ageing and Disability Commissioner Bill 2019
Wed 19 September 2018Gay and Transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010
Thu 23 June 2016Inquiry into Childhood overweight and obesity
Thu 25 June 2015Service coordination in communities with high social needs
Thu 06 December 2012Same sex marriage law in NSW
Thu 15 November 2012Strategies to reduce alcohol abuse among young people in NSW
Mon 25 July 2011Domestic violence trends and issues in NSW
Tue 21 June 2011Transition support for students with additional or complex needs and their families
Thu 24 June 2010Services provided or funded by the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
Tue 30 June 2009Substitute decision-making for people lacking capacity
Wed 03 December 2008Homelessness and low-cost rental accommodation
Wed 29 August 2007Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage
Tue 28 March 2006Impact of Commonwealth WorkChoices legislation
Thu 07 April 2005Dental services in NSW
Wed 23 March 2005Funeral industry
Thu 17 March 2005Public disturbances at Macquarie Fields
Thu 09 December 2004Recruitment and training of teachers
Thu 26 February 2004Issues relating to Redfern/Waterloo
Tue 23 September 2003Inebriates Act 1912
Tue 03 September 2002Equal Age of Consent Inquiry
Wed 10 April 2002Child Protection Services
Wed 05 December 2001Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement Amendment Bill 2001
Thu 27 September 2001Community Housing
Tue 29 August 2000Early Intervention into Learning Difficulties
Thu 16 September 1999Residential and Support Services for People with Disability
Thu 15 October 1998De Facto Relationships Legislation
Thu 28 May 1998Adoption Practices in New South Wales
Sat 21 June 1997Dedicated seats in the New South Wales Parliament
Thu 01 May 1997Hepatitis C In New South Wales
Thu 01 May 1997Clinical Trials and Guardianship
Thu 31 October 1996Aged Care and Nursing Homes
Tue 01 August 1995Children's Advocacy Inquiry
Thu 25 May 1995A Report into Children of Imprisoned Parents
Tue 01 March 1994Suicide in Rural New South Wales Inquiry
Thu 01 April 1993Youth Violence in New South Wales
Fri 18 September 1992Incidence of Sexual Offences in New South Wales Inquiry
Tue 05 May 1992Births, Deaths and Marriages: An Open Register?
Wed 14 August 1991Juvenile Justice in New South Wales
Fri 01 December 1989Drug Abuse Among Youth
Reports and government responses

During the current parliament, the following reports and government responses have been tabled:

InquiryReport tabledGovernment response due
New South Wales university sectorWed 08 April 2026Wed 08 July 2026
Impacts of harmful pornography on mental, emotional, and physical healthFri 17 October 2025Wed 21 January 2026
Prevalence, causes and impacts of loneliness in New South WalesFri 01 August 2025Mon 03 November 2025
Procurement practices of government agencies in New South Wales and its impact on the social development of the people of New South WalesFri 11 October 2024Fri 20 December 2024

Reports and government responses tabled by the committee:

InquiryReport tabledGovernment response due
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Bill 2022Fri 04 November 2022Tue 08 November 2022
Homelessness amongst older people aged over 55 in New South WalesThu 20 October 2022Mon 30 January 2023
Crimes Amendment (Display of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2021Tue 22 February 2022Thu 31 March 2022
Review of the Heritage Act 1977Fri 22 October 2021Wed 08 December 2021
Gay and Transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010 - 57th ParliamentTue 04 May 2021Thu 04 November 2021
State Records Act 1998 and the Policy Paper on its reviewThu 15 October 2020Wed 15 December 2021
Modern Slavery Act 2018 and associated mattersWed 25 March 2020Thu 24 September 2020
Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019Tue 27 August 2019—
Provisions of the Ageing and Disability Commissioner Bill 2019Tue 04 June 2019—
Gay and Transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010Tue 26 February 2019Thu 29 August 2019
Inquiry into Childhood overweight and obesityThu 15 December 2016Tue 13 June 2017
Service coordination in communities with high social needsFri 11 December 2015Wed 15 June 2016
Strategies to reduce alcohol abuse among young people in NSWFri 13 December 2013Tue 17 June 2014
Same sex marriage law in NSWFri 26 July 2013—
Domestic violence trends and issues in NSWMon 27 August 2012Wed 27 February 2013
Transition support for students with additional or complex needs and their familiesTue 06 March 2012Thu 06 September 2012
Services provided or funded by the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home CareThu 25 November 2010Tue 13 December 2011
Substitute decision-making for people lacking capacityThu 25 February 2010Thu 03 March 2011
Homelessness and low-cost rental accommodationThu 24 September 2009Wed 24 March 2010
Overcoming Indigenous disadvantageThu 27 November 2008Wed 27 May 2009
Impact of Commonwealth WorkChoices legislationThu 23 November 2006Wed 30 May 2007
Public disturbances at Macquarie FieldsFri 16 June 2006Mon 18 December 2006
Dental services in NSWFri 31 March 2006Fri 29 September 2006
Funeral industryFri 09 December 2005Tue 06 June 2006
Recruitment and training of teachersTue 25 October 2005Tue 02 May 2006
Issues relating to Redfern/WaterlooThu 16 December 2004Tue 22 February 2005
Inebriates Act 1912Fri 27 August 2004Wed 03 January 2007
Community HousingFri 28 November 2003Fri 28 May 2004
Early Intervention into Learning DifficultiesMon 15 September 2003Thu 01 April 2004
Child Protection ServicesTue 10 December 2002Wed 08 December 2004
Residential and Support Services for People with DisabilityThu 14 November 2002Tue 19 August 2003
Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement Amendment Bill 2001Thu 06 June 2002Thu 03 October 2002
Adoption Practices in New South WalesTue 27 February 2001Wed 20 June 2001
De Facto Relationships LegislationTue 07 December 1999—
Dedicated seats in the New South Wales ParliamentMon 23 November 1998—
Hepatitis C In New South WalesWed 11 November 1998—
Clinical Trials and GuardianshipMon 01 September 1997—
Aged Care and Nursing HomesMon 01 September 1997Tue 31 March 1998
A Report into Children of Imprisoned ParentsTue 01 July 1997—
Children's Advocacy InquirySun 01 September 1996—
Incidence of Sexual Offences in New South Wales InquiryMon 01 April 1996—
Youth Violence in New South WalesFri 01 September 1995Wed 26 June 1996
Suicide in Rural New South Wales InquiryTue 01 November 1994—
Births, Deaths and Marriages: An Open Register?Mon 01 March 1993—
Juvenile Justice in New South WalesFri 01 May 1992—
Drug Abuse Among YouthSat 01 December 1990—
Resolution establishing the committee

58th Parliament

Resolved 10 May 2023.

Contact us

Merrin Thompson

Role:
Director Committees
Phone:
9230 2895
Email:
socialissues@parliament.nsw.gov.au

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