Annual Report Department of the Legislative Council 2019–20
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ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 2019–20 Contents Clerk's Overview 1 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Departmental vision 3 Departmental management Business of the Department 3 and planning 21 Department goals 3 Presiding Officer’s travel 21 Department of the Legislative Council Members’ client survey 21 organisational chart 4 Governance Officer 21 Human resources management 21 SERVICE DELIVERY COVID‑19 22 People Matter Pulse Survey 22 Procedural advice 5 Visitor management at Parliament House 22 Private Members’ Bills 5 Emergency management 22 Production of documents 5 Professional and personal development 23 Procedure Committee 5 Standing and Sessional Orders 6 APPENDICES Council sittings and documentation 7 Sitting statistics 8 Appendix A 26 Breakdown of business 2019–20 8 Role of the Legislative Council staff Committee office 10 Appendix B 28 Legislative Council Committees in the Comparative workforce data as at pandemic 10 30 June 2020 Domestic Committees 10 Appendix C 29 Committee projects 13 Members of the Legislative Council— Statutory compliance 14 59th Parliament as at 30 June 2020 Register of Members’ Interests 14 Appendix D 31 Remuneration Tribunal 14 Selected statistics relating to sittings of the Legislative Council, 2015–16 Community engagement 15 to 2019–20 Community engagement, education and community of parliaments 16 Appendix E 32 Engagement with our First Peoples 17 Statistics relating to Committees Hospitality and visitors 18 administered by the Legislative Council as at 30 June 2020 Sister State Delegation 18 iv Department of the Legislative Council Annual Report 2019–20 Contents Appendix F 33 Legislative Council expenditure statements as at 30 June 2020 Appendix G 34 Legislative Council major outputs and performance measures as at 30 June 2020 Appendix H 35 Joint Investigatory Committees expenditure statement as at 30 June 2020 Appendix I 36 Major outputs—Joint Investigatory Committees as at 30 June 2020 Appendix J 37 Parliamentary committee inquiries administered by the Legislative Council as at 30 June 2020 Appendix K 38 Disclosures made under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 Department of the Legislative Council Annual Report 2019–20 v Clerk's Overview I have pleasure in presenting my report on the operations of Notwithstanding the pandemic, the reporting period was the Department of the Legislative Council for 2019–20. notable for other events that have or will likely shape change. The primary role of the department is to provide highly professional and apolitical support to the President and The Parliament’s community engagement activities and its members to carry out their functions in the chamber and relevance to the wider public complemented its role as the committees. This report also informs members of the State’s primary law maker and government accountability range of whole‑of‑parliament, community of parliaments, vehicle. Parliament House is both the meeting place for governance and compliance activities of the department. its elected representatives and the people’s House. It was pleasing to see events and activities that reflected The reporting period was dominated by the effects of this principal, most particularly the ‘meals program’ that the COVID‑19 pandemic even though it only came to has continued to support those in need throughout the prominence in the final four months. It was curious to note pandemic. that the first bill considered in the reporting period was the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment Bill 2019 on Mr Bourman was the first member of the Legislative Council 13 August 2019. The bill was small, essentially in the form to bring an infant onto the floor of the House. of statute law revision and very few people would have imagined how prominent the principal Act, the Public The Special Minister of State and Leader of the Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, would be just a few Government, Mr Jennings, resigned his seat, ending two months later. decades of membership of the Council and significant changes to the leadership of the Government in the Council. The Parliament has continued to operate during the pandemic and the various declared states of emergency. On 18 June 2020, the Hon Shaun Leane resigned as During the pandemic and community restrictions President during the sitting day as he was soon to be Parliament has sometimes been described as an essential appointed a minister in the Government. The standing service. This description falls short of recognising that the orders require that no business can be transacted until the Parliament, like the Executive and the Courts, is not simply House elects a new President. The Hon Nazih Elasmar was a service, but one of the three pillars of how our community elected, unopposed. is governed in a democracy. It was therefore crucial that I express my thanks to Mr Leane for his dedication to the the parliamentary departments and the Presiding Officers role of President, both in and outside the chamber and responded, from March 2020, in such a way that the work for his strong support for the staff of the department. of the Parliament could continue while also ensuring the Equally, I welcome Mr Elasmar to the role of President after health of staff and members. many years as an Acting and Deputy President. Very few The work of parliamentary committees is always presiding officers have commenced their tenure in such challenging, but COVID‑19 presented even greater challenging times. challenges which were met with commitment and The reporting period also marked the first year of the innovation by members, committee staff and Hansard/ most significant changes to statutory joint committees Broadcasting/IT staff. It was gratifying to see how and particularly the work of the Integrity and Oversight quickly committees pivoted from decades of in person Committee. meetings and evidence hearings to hybrid and fully remote proceedings. I congratulate all staff involved and thank Both Houses resolved on 29 August 2019 that Mr Ray members for embracing the new way of working. Purdey be appointed as the Parliament’s first Integrity Adviser following the tabling of a joint Report of the The parliamentary experience of COVID‑19 has been one Assembly and Council Privileges Committees the same of challenging traditional views of how the work of the day. Mr Purdey is the immediate former Clerk of the chambers, committees and individual members can and Assembly. The appointment of a non‑legislated integrity should be conducted. For centuries Parliament has evolved adviser followed the most significant reform of various based on a respect for its law, procedures and conventions, remuneration and members’ standards legislation in balanced with the need to reflect technological change and decades, which continued to be a significant focus of our community expectations. There is the potential for some administration and communication. lasting procedural reforms in the House, but this is a matter for members because they are the House. Department of the Legislative Council Annual Report 2019–20 1 Clerk’s Overview In conclusion, I thank the staff from all parliamentary departments for adapting so quickly and professionally to the new way of working and for their efforts to provide services to members, government agencies and the public in such unusual circumstances. I particularly thank members for the way in which they have supported our efforts. Andrew Young Clerk of the Legislative Council 2 Department of the Legislative Council Annual Report 2019–20 Departmental vision BUSINESS OF THE DEPARTMENT The business of the Department is to: • provide procedural advice to Members of the Legislative Council • provide support for Members in the instruction of Private Members’ bills and amendments to legislation • process legislation • prepare documentation required for sittings of the Legislative Council • prepare records of the proceedings for sittings of the Legislative Council • provide information relating to the proceedings of the Legislative Council • provide parliamentary law and procedure research for the President and Members • assist government to comply with and respond to procedural requirements and decisions of the House • provide administrative support, research assistance, procedural and policy advice and produce draft reports to the Legislative Council Standing, Select, Procedure and Privileges Committees • provide administrative support, research assistance, procedural and policy advice and produce draft reports to the joint investigatory committees administered by the Legislative Council • provide operational support to Members of the Legislative Council. DEPARTMENT GOALS Consistent with the Parliament’s Annual Plan the Legislative Council has established priorities in: • Services to members • Community engagement • Governance • People. Department of the Legislative Council Annual Report 2019–20 3 Departmental vision DEPARTMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ORGANISATIONAL CHART President Executive Assistant & Clerk Parliamentary Advisor to the President Executive Support to the Clerk’s Oce & Deputy Clerk Clerk of the Parliaments Usher of the Assistant Clerk Assistant Clerk Black Rod Procedure Committees Project Chamber Legislative Council Community Ocer Support Oce Committees Engagement Unit Parliamentary Bills and Joint Investigatory Attendants Research Ocer Committees Committee Services Oce 4 Department of the Legislative Council Annual Report 2019–20 SERVICE DELIVERY Procedural advice PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS In relation to documents