Parliamentary Procedure

President's Gallery Visitors

The PRESIDENT (14:23): I have received complaints from a number of members, including the Government Whip, concerning the behaviour last night of certain visitors to the parliament who were the guests of members. The visitors were seated in the President's Gallery during the debate of the Termination of Pregnancy (Terminations and Live Births) Amendment Bill. Members will no doubt recall that at the very commencement of last night's debate on the bill I made it quite clear that I expected members to conduct the debate in a respectful manner, and I am grateful that for the vast majority of the time that was the case. I also addressed the gallery and made it clear that I would not tolerate any inappropriate behaviour or interference from those visitors.

As I said, members have raised with me the behaviour of at least one individual, particularly during the division on the second reading of the bill, claiming the visitor was attempting to inappropriately influence the voting of members from the President's Gallery and within the broader precincts of the chamber. Such claims are of the highest concern. I will be considering the claims and such behaviour further and possible actions or remedies that I may take, including the barring of individuals from the galleries and the precincts of the chamber or the Legislative Council generally.

I strongly remind members that they must take responsibility for the behaviour of their guests and ensure that their guests' conduct does not undermine the privileges, powers and immunities of the parliament.