CHAIR (Mrs Irwin) —I declare open this public hearing of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Petitions. I welcome everyone in attendance. Under the standing orders, the committee is able to examine matters relating to petitions as a way of complementing the ministerial response process. The committee has decided to conduct public hearings on issues raised in petitions. So far we have held five public hearings in Canberra. We invited relevant departments to provide advice on issues raised by petitioners so that most petitioners, if not all, were able to have the benefit of expert advice of the relevant department or departments. We have been sending this information back to the petitioners as well as placing it on our website for the benefit of others who are interested in the subjects discussed.

Today’s hearing is the second hearing held outside Canberra. The committee is intending to conduct meetings with principal petitioners as a way of ensuring that petitioners can truly make their voice heard. We are very pleased, therefore, to be with you at The Entrance Campus of Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College. I want to express our thanks to the school, especially to the principal, for their assistance in arranging today’s hearing and their attendance and participation today. Later we are expecting students from many other schools in the area to arrive to see parliament in action in the form of this Petitions Committee. We are very much looking forward to meeting them and hearing what they have to say.

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