NSW and Federal Parliaments Resume Sittings as Major Justice and Emergency Reports Released

Legislative Sessions Begin for 2026

Government activity across the state and country has intensified today, Tuesday, 3 February 2026, as both the New South Wales Parliament and the Federal Parliament officially resume sittings for the year. This marks the beginning of the autumn sessions, where lawmakers will establish their primary legislative agendas for the coming months. In Sydney, the Macquarie Street precinct is back in full operation as members of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council convene to debate a range of state-specific issues, including housing infrastructure and public transport improvements.

Major Government Reports on Justice and Emergency Services

Coinciding with the return of Parliament, the Productivity Commission has today released critical components of the 2026 Report on Government Services (RoGS). This annual release is a key benchmark for evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of government-funded services across Australia. The sections released today, Part C and Part D, focus specifically on:

• Justice Services: Comprehensive data on the performance of police services, the court system, and corrective services. This data is vital for Sydney’s legal community and policymakers in assessing court backlogs and police response times within the metropolitan area.
• Emergency Management: Detailed reporting on fire and other emergency services. For Sydney residents, this includes performance metrics for Fire and Rescue NSW and the effectiveness of emergency response protocols following a year of variable weather patterns.

The report provides a statistical context that is expected to dominate parliamentary debate throughout the week, as opposition members and government ministers dissect the findings to argue for or against current funding allocations.

Federal Parliament Sittings in Canberra

While state lawmakers meet in Sydney, the Federal Parliament has also returned to session in Canberra today. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have commenced their first sitting block of 2026. Decisions made at the federal level today regarding national security, health funding, and economic policy will have direct implications for the Greater Sydney region, particularly concerning federal grants for local infrastructure and environmental protection initiatives.

Local Government Activity

At the local level, while several Sydney metropolitan councils—including the City of Sydney and Northern Beaches Council—are not holding ordinary meetings today, administrative staff are preparing for the upcoming committee cycles. Today’s focus remains firmly on state and federal executive actions. In Parramatta, the City Council continues to facilitate public exhibition for its draft City Economy Strategy 2025–2035, urging residents to provide feedback on the future of the region's economic growth as the legislative year kicks into high gear.