Thursday, 16 November 2023

Motions

Apology for past care leavers

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (10:13): I move that:

(1) the Legislative Assembly invites members of the Legislative Council to attend a sitting of the Assembly in the Legislative Assembly chamber on Wednesday 29 November 2023 at 10 am for the consideration of the motion for a parliamentary apology for past care leavers;

(2) the lower public gallery on the opposition side of the house be deemed part of the Legislative Assembly chamber and the Assembly standing orders be applied for the time that Council members are invited onto the floor of the house;

(3) a message be sent to the Legislative Council informing them accordingly.

We look forward to the next sitting week and the opportunity that will arise for this Parliament to apologise to past care leavers and for there to be a joint sitting in this place. That would be an appropriate setting in which to acknowledge the real suffering of so many care leavers. I commend this motion to the house.

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (10:13): Can I concur, on behalf of the coalition, with the government on the importance of the motion. The government and the coalition have worked together on the motion. It does provide an important opportunity for both houses to send an important apology to people who are deserving of it.

Motion agreed to.