Legislative Council Tuesday 12 June, 2018

Ms  FORREST  (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -

That the House refers the following matters to Government Administration Committee B for inquiry and report -

The regulation and impact of the marine farming industry on the Tasmanian wild fishery and natural environment with particular regard to

(1)     The adequacy and efficacy of the current legislative and regulatory framework to -

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Legislative Council Tuesday 12 June, 2018 

Ms  FORREST  (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -

That the Legislative Council notes -

(1)    Access to quality, safe reproductive health services for all women is an important public health matter and an essential part of public health services in Tasmania;

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Legislative Council Tuesday 22 May, 2018

Ms  FORREST  (Murchison) - Mr President, access to housing and the rise of the sharing economy in short-term accommodation through Airbnb, Stayz and other platforms has been raised many times with me as a member of this place.  People are facing some serious challenges with this.  It is not only their competing with other accommodation providers about which I have had much representation; it is also about people not being able to get rental accommodation in some of our smaller communities because these houses are not available for long term rentals.

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Legislative Council Tuesday 22 May, 2018

Ms  FORREST  (Murchison) - Mr President, my contribution will be brief.  I will ask a number of questions of the member moving the motion. 

I start with the same questions I asked during debate on the motion previously put by the member for Launceston.  Is this an area of significant concern?  Absolutely, yes it is.  One reason there is so much concern is the way the policy was released during the recent election period.  The letter sent out by the Liberal Party was dated 9 February, in their planning for the election.  It was sent out to a number of stakeholders, but not all. 

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Legislative Council Tuesday 21 November, 2017

Ms  FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr Deputy President, I move -

That the Legislative Council Government Administration Committee A report on King Island shipping and freight services be considered and noted.

In noting this report, I begin by acknowledging the hard work of the staff.  I did it with the previous committee but we had a couple of changes of committee secretary during this process.  The staff have all worked very hard to get what is a very comprehensive and good report together. 

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Legislative Council Tuesday 21 November, 2017

Ms  FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr President, I would like to add to some of the comments made by the members on this committee.  I commend the member for Elwick chairing his first committee.  He did a good job.  It is always a new experience when you are chairing for the first time and seeing how everything works, so I congratulate you on that.  Also, I acknowledge the hard work of the staff as well.  They worked very hard with the committees, particularly over these last few weeks, with sickness and a range of other things that have challenged the committee secretariat in this place, and they have done an incredible job.  I say that for all the committee reports we are noting at the moment.  It has been a huge task for all of them.  We thank them for their dedication and commitment because it is huge. 

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Legislative Council Thursday 19 October 2017

Ms FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr President, as the honourable Leader said, this is a regular occurrence.  I think it will be the second last one before we change to the new Financial Management Act and it will be a section 23 or section 24 report, which, from memory, will be a similar process.  As the Leader also said, much of it has been shifting around within agencies and does not have an overall impact on the budget.  The Leader has gone through the areas where there are no offsetting revenues to cover that and where the shifting within agencies has been.

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Legislative Council Wednesday 18 October 2017

Response to resignation from the Legislative Council of Honourable Vanessa Goodwin 

Ms  FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr President, I appreciate the Leader of the Government bringing forward this motion to acknowledge Vanessa's contribution to this House and her resignation.

It is sad when people of such capacity and huge potential, through no fault of their own, are required to step away from a job they love, and also a job Vanessa was very good at. 

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Legislative Council Tuesday 17th October, 2017

Ms  FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr President, I thank the member for Mersey for his comprehensive noting of the report and his comments.  I think he must have been looking at some of my notes. 

If we had to compile a list of things that society could do without, I am sure poker machines would be included, but they are legal - at this stage, anyway - and a few people enjoy them apparently.  There is no doubt that poker machines cause social harm, but - and I am trying to briefly summarise what I understand the industry's position to be - the economic benefits exceed the social cost.  Why else would we tolerate them? 

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Legislative Council Tuesday 19 September 2017

[11.56 a.m.]

Ms FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr President, I will make a few comments on this report.  It is only a fairly short report and members have referred to the content of it.  It is worth making a few points on this particular report.

It strikes at the heart of the committee structure overall, which is an important point.  The member for Windermere has an unfortunate habit of taking other members' comments out of context.

In terms of my comment about not losing confidence of a committee to be able to give confidential information:  if we say no-one should have any confidence in our committees in the future, we are undermining the whole work of all committees anyway.

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Legislative Council Tuesday 15 August 2017

Ms  FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr Deputy President, I move -

That the Legislative Council -

(1)     Notes the economic benefit of investment in infrastructure, particularly long term intergenerational infrastructure;

(2)     Notes infrastructure funding is often influenced by election cycles; and 

(3)     Calls on both Houses to consider the value of establishing a cross party Infrastructure Funding Review Panel, comprising a representative from each party and independent member to review current infrastructure funding, decision making and assessment processes and options.

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Legislative Council Tuesday 14 March 2017

[2.40 p.m.]

Ms  FORREST  (Murchison) - Mr President, I am happy to proceed with this.  I welcome the opportunity to reply to the Premier's Address.  However, every time I speak on a motion like this one before us, I am not a pessimist, but there is a need to question some of the hype been passed off as perfecting the state of our state.  It is true we are closer to a surplus than we have been for the past few years.  It is largely a mirage.  There are a few significant caveats.

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MOTION

Establishment of Select Committee - Inquire and Report - 

Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill 2016 (No. 54)

[11.37 a.m.]    Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -

That a select committee be appointed, with the power to send for persons and papers, with leave to sit during any adjournment of the Council, and with leave to adjourn from place to place to inquire into and report upon the Anti-Discrimination Amendment Bill 2016 (No. 54).

And that Mr Dean; Mr Finch; Mr Gaffney; and the mover be of the committee.

Mr President, why do I think there is a need for a more detailed look at this bill?  There are a number of reasons.  I will comment on each of them and refer to other people's comments.  These key areas include:  the low level of community support; the very limited time for consultation on the draft bill; genuine concern regarding possible consequences of the bill; and concern by some that the bill does not go far enough and will not result in change that some in the community believe is necessary.  There has not been broad support for this change and there has been a lack of time for input into consultation on the draft bill.

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Legislative Council Tuesday 25 October 2016

MOTION  Consideration and Noting - Report of the Commissioner for Children and Young People 

[3.31 p.m.]   Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -

That the report of the Commissioner for Children and Young People titled 'Children and Young People's Unique Experiences of Family Violence' be considered and noted.

In noting this very important and informative report, I commend the Commissioner for Children and Young People, Mark Morrissey, on his approach to his work in this area.  He has worked tirelessly to ensure that the voices of young people are heard in matters of such importance to them.  I note the voices of the children throughout the report in words and pictures, a valuable inclusion in the report.

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Legislative Council - Tuesday 25 October 2016

MOTION

Aboriginal Names for Legislative Council Electorates - Support

Mr MULDER (Rumney - Motion) - Mr President, I move -

(1)     That where appropriate the Legislative Council supports the use of Aboriginal names for Legislative Council electorates; and

(2)     That the Tasmanian Electoral Commission be advised accordingly.

Ms  FORREST (Murchison ) - Mr President, no-one in this place would be adverse to some consideration being given to Aboriginal names of places where there are geographic features or electorates if it was a wish of the Aboriginal population and people who had a connection with the area were able to advise appropriately.  As the member for Hobart said, it is about doing things with the Aboriginal people, not to them.  It is at their request and it is a respectful request.

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Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I will make a few comments about the Auditor-General's report.  I will not go broadly into the whole education debate.  It is a worthy debate, but is probably best left for another time in many ways.  I note the contribution of the member for Elwick, who covered a lot of information well beyond the Auditor-General's assessment, which was all useful and part of the conversation. 

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[6.00 p.m.]

Ms FORREST (Murchison) (by leave) - Mr President, I move -

That the reporting date for the Joint Select Committee on Preventative Health Care be extended until Thursday 31 March 2016.

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[11.35 a.m.]

Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I note the motion before us relates to social issues and reads -

On social issues, such as same-sex marriage, the Legislative Council urges federal parliamentarians to exercise a conscience vote.

The motion only notes one social issue - that being same-sex marriage.

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[3.04 p.m.]

Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I move -

That the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Public Accounts into the Community Support Levy be considered and noted.

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Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I move - 

That this House notes - 

(1)     The value and importance of the ongoing work of the Pacific Women's Parliamentary Partnerships Project - PWPPP.

 (2)     That the PWPPP supports and promotes gender equality in parliaments across the Pacific nations, Australia and New Zealand.

 (3)     That the 2015 PWPPP forum was recently held in Fiji and focused on the theme of family violence and provided opportunity to explore the reality of this issue which confronts all nations; and

 (4)     The forum is coordinated by the Australian Parliament, with the financial support of Australian Aid, under the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development initiative and the invaluable and ongoing support of the Australian Government.

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