NSW Parliament Convenes Amid Legislative Debates and Official Presidential Visit

NSW Parliament Convenes Amid Legislative Debates and Official Presidential Visit

The New South Wales Parliament is convening today, Thursday, 12 February 2026, for a pivotal session marking the conclusion of the first major sitting week of the year. Both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council are in session at Parliament House in Sydney, with a packed agenda featuring significant legislative reforms and heated debates over state regulations and public safety measures.

One of the primary items on the Assembly’s agenda is the continuation of the second reading debate for the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026. This bill aims to tighten oversight within the construction sector following a series of high-profile building defects reported throughout 2025. Additionally, the House is expected to progress several key legislative and procedural items today, including:

• The Contract Cleaning Industry (Portable Long Service Leave Scheme) Amendment Bill 2026, which seeks to expand protections and long-service benefits for workers in the cleaning sector.
• A motion to extend the lapsing date for the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill, ensuring continued debate on regional safety through May 2026.
• Debate regarding the progress of the Local Government and Other Legislation Amendment (Places of Public Worship) Bill 2026.

The Legislative Council is currently grappling with a series of controversial disallowance motions that have drawn significant public attention. Most notably, crossbench members have signaled a move to disallow the Major Events Amendment (Israeli Presidential Visit) Regulation 2026. This regulation was implemented to facilitate the high-security visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is scheduled to conclude his official tour of Australia today. The visit has been a focal point of political activity in Sydney this week, occurring in the aftermath of the tragic security incident at Bondi Beach in December 2025. While the government maintains that the measures are necessary for diplomatic protocol and public safety, critics in the Council have raised concerns regarding the scope of police powers granted under the special regulation.

Economic matters are also expected to dominate Question Time in the Legislative Assembly this afternoon. Recent financial data indicating that inflation in New South Wales reached 3.7% in the twelve months to December 2025 has provided a platform for the Opposition to challenge the government’s fiscal priorities. The debate is expected to focus on housing costs, which rose by 5.5% in 2025 and remain the largest contributor to cost-of-living pressures for Sydney residents.

As the session draws to a close, the Leader of the House has indicated that the Assembly may be required to sit through Friday to finalize urgent business before the upcoming recess. Residents interested in the proceedings can observe from the public galleries at Parliament House or via the official state parliament livestream.