Federal Page MP Janelle Saffin was yesterday appointed government whip by her Labor caucus colleagues.
The role of the whips is to plan the day’s agenda, arrange the number and order of members who wish to speak on bills and motions; ensure the attendance of members for divisions and quorum calls and to act as tellers during divisions.
‘I’m very pleased to be able to serve the federal parliamentary Labor Party in this role and to contribute even more to the workings of the parliament,’ she said yesterday.
‘I look forward to working with the chief government whip Joel Fitzgibbon and government whip Ed Husic, in helping manage the government’s legislative agenda in the House of Representatives,’ Ms Saffin said.
The chief government whip, Joel Fitzgibbon, welcomed Ms Saffin to the team, saying ‘we know Janelle will make a great whip and she also enjoys the respect of her colleagues’.
Ms Saffin has stepped down as chair of the public works committee after serving in the position for three years to take up the whip’s job.
She replaces former whip, Jill Hall MP, who served in the position for eight years and has taken up the position as chair of the Health and Aging Committee.
