Committees
Standing Committee on Legislation
Tabling
Hon Dr Katrina Stratton (Parliamentary Secretary) (1:09 pm): I am directed to present the 50th report of the Standing Committee on Legislation titled Firearms Act 2024—Extension of Time.
(See paper 446.)
Hon Dr Katrina Stratton: President, the report that I have just tabled advises the house that in order to properly discharge its reporting functions, it is requesting an extension of time. On 28 May 2025, the house made the following referral to the Standing Committee on Legislation:
(1) That the Standing Committee on Legislation is directed to inquire into and report on the Firearms Act 2024, which received royal assent on 27 June 2024, including any provisions that have not yet come into operation.
(2) Without limiting the scope of the committee's inquiry, the committee is to:
(a) particularly focus its consideration on those provisions of the act that were passed by the Legislative Council after time for consideration of the originating bill in Committee of the Whole had lapsed pursuant to standing order 125A;
(b) review the operation, effectiveness and implementation of those parts of the act, including any subsidiary legislation, that have come into operation at the time that the inquiry is commenced; and
(c) report on:
(i) problems that have emerged from the implementation and operation of the legislation;
(ii) whether all provisions are consistent with fundamental legislative principles;
(iii) recommended amendments that will ensure the legislation's workability and effectiveness; and
(iv) any other relevant matter.
(3) The committee is to report within three months.
President, that would require the committee to table its report to the house by 28 August 2025. The committee has held frequent meetings on this referral. It has issued approximately 140 letters of invitation to identified stakeholders to make submissions and, despite not advertising the inquiry publicly, it has received some 2,660 submissions. Due to the extraordinarily high number of submissions received, and to enable hearings to be organised with the identified stakeholders that responded, on 16 July 2025 the committee resolved to seek an extension of the time in which it is to report on the referral from 28 August 2025 to 16 October 2025. This extension of time is requested to enable the committee to properly discharge its reporting obligations to the Legislative Council. The committee therefore requests an extension of time in which to report from 28 August 2025 to 16 October 2025.
I commend the report to the house.
Motion
Hon Dr Katrina Stratton (Parliamentary Secretary) (1:12 pm) without notice: I move:
That the reporting date for the Standing Committee on Legislation Inquiry into the Firearms Act 2024 be extended from 28 August 2025 to 16 October 2025.
I seek leave to continue my remarks at the next sitting of the house.
Leave granted.
Debate adjourned, pursuant to standing orders.
