The newest member of the NSW upper house is calling on the state Parliament to follow the lead of the federal Senate and scrap restrictions on photographing politicians – even if they are asleep in the chamber.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The call was made by the Labor MLC John Graham in his inaugural speech on Thursday.
It follows last month's decision to dump a Senate rule that stated only politicians who are speaking – known as "having the call" – can be photographed.
"As a citizen, I support an open data agenda for NSW – we can produce both a more responsive government sector and a more competitive private sector by giving citizens more control over their own data," Mr Graham said.
"One way this chamber could be more responsive – and some traditions have to change – is to adopt the changes to its standing orders that the Australian Senate has recently adopted, to allow photography in the house. I support this change, and encourage the house to do so."
In the upper house, formally known as the Legislative Council, still photography is only permitted of members who are speaking in a debate.
This means all others are off limits, even if they are asleep or engaged in other potentially newsworthy activity.
Mr Graham was deputy chief of staff to former NSW Premier Nathan Rees.
A former NSW Labor left faction assistant secretary, he replaced Sophie Cotsis when she resigned from the Legislative Council to contest the seat of Canterbury at this Saturday's byelection.
Mr Graham also used his speech to call for policy changes in NSW, one of which was a shift away from measuring the state's performance solely via its economic output.
"An active government that formally measures our social, environmental and economic well-being alongside our gross state product in its annual budgeting process," he said.
Mr Graham also said one of his priorities would be to push for a "right to read" to be enshrined as a principle in NSW because in the information age, reading is "a human right".
He called for a "massive lift in our literary effort" via stronger programs in schools and TAFE, an outreach program run by public libraries and "enshrining a right for all NSW citizens: the right to learn to read, with state support, at whatever the age they choose to do so".
Closing his speech, Mr Graham said he would follow the example of his late father, Dennis, a probation and parole officer.
"After a lifetime of working with criminals he could always see the best in a person," he said.
"I can't think of a better role model for someone entering NSW politics".
