Wagga-based Nationals MLC Wes Fang has been elected deputy president of NSW Parliament's upper house, which will include responsibility for overseeing debates on amendments to legislation.
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Mr Fang was elected unopposed by fellow members of the Legislative Council on Tuesday and he will now serve as the presiding officer of the upper house when the president is absent.
Mr Fang, who was first elected to Parliament in 2017, said he was humbled by his elevation to the role.
"As far back as I can recall, we haven't had a presiding officer in either Parliament from the Riverina, so it's not a small thing," Mr Fang said.
"It's a massive honour and privilege to be elected into that role and it's generally one of the most senior presiding officer positions that a member of the National Party will hold.
"I'm humbled. It's something that I aspired to from the moment I was elected to Parliament, it's a position that I always thought was where I wanted my parliamentary career to go."
The role of a deputy president is roughly equivalent to the role of a deputy speaker in Parliament's lower house.
Mr Fang's new role also includes the position of chair of committees, which presides over the consideration of bills and amendments in a committee of the whole House.
A committee of the whole House can be formed via a resolution from members of the Legislative Council and while the committee is standing, Mr Fang will replace the president and rule on standing orders.
Mr Fang's first major sitting as the chair of committees will likely be during debate on a bill to legalise Voluntary Assisted Dying, which is expected to trigger numerous amendments.
Independent Wagga MP Joe McGirr said he congratulated Mr Fang on his election as deputy president and chair of committees of the NSW Legislative Council.
"Wes is a hard-working and dedicated representative in the Legislative Council," Dr McGirr said.
"I am sure he will continue his hard work and keep the best interests not only of Wagga, but the state as a whole, at the heart of everything he does."
The deputy president's role was previously held by Nationals MLC Trevor Khan, who resigned from Parliament to take up a role as a magistrate.
Mr Fang thanked his colleagues on both sides of politics for their support and pledged to honour the legacy of previous National Party deputy presidents.
The president of the Upper house is Matthew Mason Cox, who was expelled from the Liberal Party in May after nominating for the role and running against then NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's choice of candidate.
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