Motion
Legislative Council, Tuesday 19 November 2024
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, in noting the motion I acknowledge that the vast majority of work done that is reported in this report was done in the last parliament. The report was actually signed off by the committee of the 50th Parliament but could not be tabled before the calling of the election in March 2024, a second early election, subsequent prorogation of the parliament, and the inevitable delay in re-establshing the committee. That was a little bit disappointing but eventually we got there. Having said that, the information does not really date in this report. The matters that are relevant then are still relevant now. Despite the delay, I do not believe there would have been any major changes to the findings or recommendations contained in this important body of work.
I thank all members of the committee for their work and the support of the committee secretariat in this inquiry and report.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 19 November 2024
Report of the Government Administration Committee A “Short Inquiry Process into the Operations of Tasmanian Ports Corporation Pty Ltd”: Consideration and noting
The broadcast of my speech on this report can be viewed on the Parliament of Tasmania Website under Legislative Council - Chamber Proceedings, or by clicking on the link below:
My speech begins at around the 43 minute mark, with some closing remarks after the lunch break, immediately following Question Time.
The transcript will be available on Hansard at a later date.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 29 October 2024
MOTION - Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission's Yearly Report - Consideration and Noting
Mr GAFFNEY (Mersey) - Mr President, I move -
That the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission's Yearly Report on the progress of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 be considered and noted.
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I thank the member for Mersey for bringing this motion on. It is bit of a heavy day today talking about these matters, but in any event, that is how it flows sometimes. It is a really appropriate report to note and to understand the implications of.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 29 October 2024
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - I move -
That the Legislative Council:
(1) Notes the Research brief by Dr Carmel Hobbs, published in November 2022 titled Young, in love and in danger - Teen domestic violence and abuse in Tasmania;
(2) Notes the seven recommendations in the research brief; and
(3) Calls on the government to provide a formal response to each of the recommendations that includes actions the government will take in response to each recommendation.
Legislative Council, Wednesday 18 September 2024
Ms O'CONNOR (Hobart)(by leave) - Mr President, I move -
That the Validation State Coastal Policy Bill 2024 be referred to Government Administration Committee B for consideration and report.
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I have come down here so I can eyeball the minister when necessary.
The thing about lines in the sand is that they always disappear and are constantly moving. I found that interesting.
I will address my mind to whether this bill should go to a committee. I would request a bit of leeway here because this bill, while it is not about Robbins Island, is about Robbins Island. It is in my electorate and I represent the people there who have differing views.
Legislative Council, Thursday 23 May 2024
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, in speaking to this motion, there are no amendments proposed to it. Again, it was a little bit like deja vu in some respects with the last debate. Members will remember, shortly before prorogation, this committee established a commission of inquiry recommendations committee to review the recommendations, the progress of implementation of recommendations, and matters related to that.
The committee was established but did not get to do any work before parliament was prorogued. However, we had set out a pretty extensive schedule for dates - now well gone - in February and March, from memory, as to when the committee would hear from the relevant ministers and government departments as to how progress is being made.
Legislative Council, Thursday 23 May 2024
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -
(1) That a Joint Select Committee be appointed with power to send for persons and papers, with leave to sit during any adjournment of either House and with leave to adjourn from place to place to inquire into and report upon energy prices and related matters in Tasmania with the following Terms of Reference -
(a) Factors that impact energy prices for Tasmanian household and small and medium business customers, with particular reference to energy generation, distribution and retail costs.
Legislative Council, Wednesday 1 November 2023
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, we are here to consider a referral of the Government's Macquarie Point proposal, also known as the stadium, for assessment as a Project of State Significance. Our role here is to either vote to approve this or reject this referral.
As the Leader said in her contribution, it is not about the merits of the project as such. The act is fairly silent on what basis a member might choose to vote for or against the referral. The act does lay out a number of possible criteria that would warrant an assessment as a Project of State Significance and in section 16 of the act it talks about meeting at least two of the following attributes. I will go through those attributes as I think they are relevant:
Legislative Council, Thursday 28 September 2023
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I am pleased to rise and speak on the Interim Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Public Accounts into the feasibility planning for the new sporting and events stadium in Hobart at Macquarie Point. This project has been broadly referred to as the new AFL stadium, which I will also use to refer to it, rather than the whole long-winded title.
I state at the outset to ensure all who may be listening now, or reading this at a later time who may wish to quote me out of context, to ensure they have a clear understanding of my position. Whilst this is not entirely related to the actual motion to note the report, this is important to say, as my comments often get taken out of context by some.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 12 September 2023
The motion states the Legislative Council notes the economic analysis provided by the Deloitte Access Economics report dated 2020 regarding the Tasmanian salmon industry and acknowledges that the Tasmanian salmon industry is a vital social and economic contributor to the Tasmanian community, and to quote from the report that is subject to this motion:
Salmon Tasmania has partnered with Deloitte for the first combined comprehensive and independent analysis of the industry's economic and social contribution to the Tasmanian community.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 22 August 2023
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -
(1) That the Legislative Council Select Committee Report on Production of Documents (No. 5 of 2021) be referred to the Legislative Council Standing Orders Committee.
(2) That the Standing Orders Committee give consideration to an appropriate dispute resolution process that -
(a) is based on the principles of responsible government and underpinned by the power to call for documents;
(b) allows for the assessment of the validity of claims of immunity by the government in response to Orders for the Production of Documents; and
Legislative Council, Tuesday 15 August 2023
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - I intend to speak briefly to this report. I also note that I have a significant hearing impairment at the moment. If members have questions or make comments, I will more than likely not be able to hear you. If there is anything urgent you want me to respond to, you may need to put it in writing to me. Apologies for that.
Ms Rattray - Does that mean no interjections, Mr President?
Mr PRESIDENT - It means the member will not hear any interjections.
Ms FORREST - I will keep talking over the top of people. This short inquiry process was a decision about the then newly established Gender and Equality Joint House Committee.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 30 May 2023
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, how much longer will the Government be able to say with a straight face that it is making Tasmania strong, safe and secure?
Let me say at the outset that I fully concur with the Treasurer that this state is an incredible place to be. However, I do not see this Budget as a basis for building a stronger future. For anyone willing to delve a little deeper into the Budget Papers, the Government's position is anything but strong. It is increasingly apparent the emperor has no clothes.
May I make another point at the outset on a more positive note. For years the budget papers were looking a bit tired, the same old format year after year; different figures for sure, but lacking accessibility for most readers, making it difficult for a reader to judge whether the Government was doing its job properly or whether it had set itself some soft targets and ended up ticking most of those boxes - surprise, surprise.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 28 March 2023
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - I personally have no strong position on the matter of prayers being read in parliament at the start of each sitting day. A couple of reasons; one, I believe there is a significant difference between saying prayer and reading prayers. Also, I do acknowledge we need to reflect and respect the diversity of our people, our parliament and our state.
In speaking to this motion, I have read many texts, statements, arguments and views that I do not agree with, but I still read them. Reading something is not the same as saying it is a matter of personal belief. While this may seem like semantics, it is an important comment and distinction.
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Madam Deputy President, I move -
(1)That this House notes:
(a) Huntington's disease is an inherited degenerative neurological condition affecting the brain and central nervous system that results in the progressive loss of mental and physical capacities impacting affected individuals' ability to walk, talk, eat, think and reason with death ensuing from complications;
(b) Huntington's disease is a neurological condition that has both physical and mental symptoms;
Legislative Council, Tuesday 21 March 2023
Ms FORREST - Mr President, I do not support the amendment. I think we are just jumping at shadows here. What this motion calls for is for the Government to give strong consideration - not to legislate, not to tell LGAT what to do, not to tell local government what to do - but to consider whether this is a reasonable step. I do not support it. We should leave local government in there.
I hark back to a fairly well publicised event in one of my local council groups where a person was charged with an offence that well and possibly has made them ineligible to obtain a Working with Vulnerable Person's card. At the moment, there is no barrier to that person recontesting, being re-elected and potentially putting members of our community of risk in that role. We see it as a right, as an elected member, to be able to go to our service clubs, go to our elderly people's garden parties, go to schools and all sorts of places and engage with children and vulnerable people. Yes, under some supervision at times. Certainly, if you go into a school without a WWVP card, then you will be escorted entirely while you are on site. I have my own. I am registered with a WWVP card for other volunteer work I do as well as visiting schools and any other facility where there may be vulnerable people.
We also have vulnerable people in our offices every day. We have vulnerable people in our offices who come in and talk about all sorts of personal matters, their financial circumstances. We should not have people who could potentially engage with those people on their own, behind a closed door, who may take advantage of them. In many respects, financially, sexually, whatever way you like, it is simply not okay. It is important this is a really important safety step.
In terms of coming back to the amendment before the Chair at the moment, it is not suggesting that the government legislate. It is suggesting that consultation should occur. As I am led to believe from the Leader's comments, even for us as elected members in this place and the other place, to comply with this requirement, there will be legislative change. They will go through the process. Consult, develop legislation, bring it before the other place and here, and we will pass it. I imagine, from the feeling of the views on this, we will be most likely to pass that legislation. It is the same with local government. Hopefully on this occasion they will consult with local government. We know that has not been such a successful thing in some other matters. The Government will go to local government. They will go to LGAT, they will go to all councils and set their feedback on that. Certainly, in my electorate - I know this is a matter of great concern - particularly after the highly publicised case. There have been other cases and circumstances too.
I have an objection to removing local government from this because it is not asking that we do not consult them; it is basically saying 'look at this. Government, do your work; Attorney General, Minister for Justice, go and consult and see what LGAT thinks and what local government seems to think on this'. They should; and if they agree, then bring it back. That is all we are asking them to do.
I urge members to reconsider that position and leave it in there. As I mentioned, as elected members, we certainly do engage with vulnerable people almost on a daily basis, and many would say that local government is a level of government that is even closer to the people and to the community than we are. In many respects they are more likely than us to be in the presence of, and engaging and potentially interacting, in a supportive way, with vulnerable members of our community.
I cannot see what the problem is. Yes, it may disqualify a small number of people from undertaking that work, but we would we want them excluded anyway, surely? Is that not the purpose of it? We exclude them from volunteering with vulnerable people, with children. Is that not what the purpose of it is?
Let us not jump at shadows here. Let us ask the Government and the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to look at how do we legislate it to make it a requirement of being an elected member; and what do we need to do, consulting with the local government sector, to progress it for local government elected members who are closer to the people and carry just as much risk to the health and safety of the vulnerable members of our community as we do, and every other volunteer who does.
I know that it can be a little onerous for people to go through this process, but that is for a good reason - we want people working with vulnerable people and children to be as safe as we can make it. If you do not see the evidence of that, just look at the royal commissions we have had.
I do not support the amendment. I hope that other members may back me in this and we will deal with this and, through the motion, encourage the Government to look at both elected members of this place, the Parliament of Tasmania, and members of local government.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 15 November 2022
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, it is my pleasure to speak to this report and I particularly thank all those who provided evidence by way of written submissions and verbal evidence to the committee. Their valuable insights and varied experiences within health care in rural and regional Tasmania and beyond has informed the committee's work.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 15 November 2022
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - I thank the member for Prosser for bringing this motion to the Chamber. The benefit that men's sheds bring to the mental health and wellbeing of many men across Tasmania and Australia is well understood.
While many people think that men's sheds are places where older men meet to make things and use tools and equipment they might not have at home, that is only part of what men's sheds do and it is not only older men who access them, particularly those that are available on weekends where other men can go. They offer much broader support, services and opportunities.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 25 October 2022
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -
That the Council be now adjourned for the purpose of discussing a matter of public importance, namely the circumstances surrounding the recent damage to the Cam River Bridge at Somerset and the resultant major delays to traffic as the result of the reduction to one lane of traffic and concerns around the integrity of the bridge and the need for a reliable alternative route.
Mr PRESIDENT - In accordance with standing order 32(3)(d) at least three members should rise in their seats to support the motion.
The member can proceed.
Legislative Council, Tuesday 25 October 2022
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - I reiterate comments made by others with regard to the value of neighbourhood houses and community houses, whatever they are called in the region. They provide a vital service to a community and sometimes they are the absolute backstop of the community when there is nothing else. In Hobart, with a high-density population and lots of other services that the member for Hobart referred to, the need is not there for this sort of service particularly.
Legislative Council, Wednesday 7 September 2022
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I support the motion as noted and moved by the Leader. I wish to speak in broad terms to the report itself, acknowledging that all the points the Leader has raised have my full support and acknowledgement.
I also note, Mr President, your comments made yesterday, and concur with the matters you raised in your statement to the House here as well. I also express my regret for the experiences of far too many people who work in and with the Ministerial and Parliamentary Services (MPS) and the lack of appropriate structures to support those who have experienced bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination in this workplace.
- MOTION - Public Accounts Committees - 160 Years in Tasmania
- Motion for Respect: Report into Workplace Culture in the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services
- Motion - Establishment of a Joint Sessional Gender and Equality Committee
- MOTION - Joint Sessional Gender and Equality Committee
- MOTION - Note - Premier's Address
- CONDOLENCE MOTION - Hillcrest Primary School
- Achievements of Wynyard Yacht Club Members
- Condolence Motion – His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
- MOTION - Consideration and Noting - Report on production of documents
- CONDOLENCE MOTION - Anthony William Fletcher MLC