Last sitting week for the year and session

We've now had the last Parliamentary Sitting Week for the year and the session, with many retiring MPs taking the opportunity to deliver Valedictory speeches as we head towards the March 2026 election. 

Time certainly flies by and the last two weeks have been very busy in the chamber.

A priority topic by the Government was the swift introduction of the Statutes Amendment (Energy and Mining Reforms) Bill to which I proposed two amendments to offset what I foresaw would cause further pain and uncertainty for farmers dealing with mining companies drilling on their land. 

My amendments sought to stop the Minister of the day having complete discretion to grant five-year extensions to exploration licenses in perpetuity and instead I proposed the one sole two-year extension in extenuating circumstances. 

Whilst I lost the vote 13-21 in the Lower House, the Liberals proposed the same amendments in the Upper House and that vote was successful, ultimately leading to the Government pulling the Bill in its entirety in the Lower House.

Suffice to say I was pleased with this outcome. 

Another pleasing event in the Lower House was the tabling of the formal Government response to the Inquiry into the Delivery of Health Services on the Yorke Peninsula, and within it the acceptance of all the recommendations delivered by the Economic and Finance Committee. Please refer to the Parliament tab on this website for my speech in response in the chamber. 

A final major issue relates to the "National Harmonisation of Temporary Traffic Management Practice" and its impact on local volunteer groups which run community events requiring road closures. 

There is ongoing direct dialogue with the Minister, DIT, Councils and the LGA in seeking a solution to the new training requirements that threaten the viability of small events such as Christmas pageants and markets. 

It is proving complex but we simply cannot burden our hardworking volunteer event organisers with more undue bureaucracy and associated expensive red tape. 

It is incredible to believe 2025 is nearing its end. I advise the Narungga electorate office will be closed for a Christmas break from 5pm Friday 19 December to 9 am Monday 5 January 2025. 

I, along with my office team in Rosemary, Victoria, Ebony and Jessica, extend sincere best wishes to all for the festive season and a very happy and prosperous 2026.