Other key office holders

The Deputy Speaker, Assistant Speaker, and Temporary Speakers are also elected by the House. They assist the Speaker during sittings of the House.

The principal responsibility of the Deputy Speaker is to act for the Speaker, both in the Chair and also in the Speaker's capacity when the House is not sitting.

The Deputy Speaker is elected by the House. Under the NSW Constitution Act 1902 they are the only person who can act as the Speaker, and carry all the powers, authorities, duties and functions of the Speaker in his absence.

The Hon Sonia Hornery MP​ was elected Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on 9 May 2023. Before her election, Sonia served as Temporary Speaker between February and October​ in 2018, and between 2019 and 2023.

Sonia was first elected as the Member for Wallsend in 2007. She was a member of several parliamentary committees and served as Shadow Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for a number of portfolios.

The role of the Assistant Speaker is to perform the duties of the Chair if both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are unavailable.

​​​The Assistant Speaker is elected by the House. If the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are both absent on a day when the House is sitting, the Assistant Speaker is able to perform their duties and oversee the proceedings of the House.

Mr Jason Li MP​ was elected Assistant Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly on 9 May 2023.

He was elected as the Member for Strathfield after winning a by-election in 2022.

Mr Li is Chair of the Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption as well as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. He is also a member of the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics.