Fewer sitting days for federal parliament: issues for democracy

Adverse impacts for governments

Less sitting days also has adverse impacts for governments and for effective governing:

• governments cannot implement those election promises requiring new legislation or amendments;
• certain appointments cannot be made thus slowing down administrative action
• important reports from key advisory and investigatory bodies cannot be tabled.

The other issue raised by some independent parliamentarians is whether we are getting value for money from our elected members if parliament is not sitting more often. Or is parliament so under the thumb of executive government that it doesn't matter?