edited
28th Sep 2017
Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws - General Law Reform) Bill 2008 - In Committee - Legalise same-sex marriage
Not passed by a large majority
No rebellions 46% attendance
24th Sep 2008, 10:55 AM – Representatives Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws — General Law Reform) Bill 2008 - Second Reading
Summary
EditThe majority voted in favour of a motion to keep the words "That this bill be now read a second time" unchanged. Liberal MP Sussan Ley had proposed to delete the words after "That" and replace them with:
That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words: “whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:
(1) affirms its commitment to the central importance of the institution of marriage to Australian society;
(2) nevertheless recognises that partners in same-sex relationships ought not to be discriminated against on the basis of their sexuality, and ought to be treated on a similar basis to partners in heterosexual de facto relationships;
(3) recognises the right of children who live in same-sex households not to be discriminated against; and
(4) notes that the Opposition has referred the bill to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for reporting by September 30 with a view to ensuring that, in removing discrimination against people in same-sex relationships:
(a) the centrality of marriage is not devalued, whether by the use of inappropriate statutory language or otherwise;
(b) there is no unintended recognition of same sex marriage, including through amendments to the Migration Act 1961;
(c) the rights and status of children are properly protected; and
(d) the rights and status of people in interdependent relationships other than same-sex relationships are recognised and properly protected”.
MPs who voted "Aye" (Yes) disagreed with MP Ley's proposed new wording.
What does it mean to read a bill for a second time?
All bills have to be read three times: first to introduce the bill for discussion; second to decide if the majority agree with the main idea of the bill; and third to decide whether the majority will pass the bill or not so it can become law.
So a second reading vote is a vote on whether to agree with the main idea of the bill or not.
Votes Passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Labor Party (89% turnout) | 72 Yes – 0 No | |
| Dick Adams Lyons | Yes | |
| Anthony Albanese Grayndler | Yes | |
| James Bidgood Dawson | Yes | |
| Sharon Bird Cunningham | Yes | |
| Chris Bowen Prospect | Yes | |
| David Bradbury Lindsay | Yes | |
| Tony Burke Watson | Yes | |
| Mark Butler Port Adelaide | Yes | |
| Anthony Byrne Holt | Yes | |
| Nick Champion Wakefield | Yes | |
| Darren Cheeseman Corangamite | Yes | |
| Jason Clare Blaxland | Yes | |
| Julie Collins Franklin | Yes | |
| Greg Combet Charlton | Yes | |
| Simon Crean Hotham | Yes | |
| Yvette D'Ath Petrie | Yes | |
| Michael Danby Melbourne Ports | Yes | |
| Bob Debus Macquarie | Yes | |
| Mark Dreyfus Isaacs | Yes | |
| Justine Elliot Richmond | Yes | |
| Annette Ellis Canberra | Yes | |
| Kate Ellis Adelaide | Yes | |
| Craig Emerson Rankin | Yes | |
| Laurie Ferguson Reid | Yes | |
| Martin Ferguson Batman | Yes | |
| Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter | Yes | |
| Jennie George Throsby | Yes | |
| Steve Gibbons Bendigo | Yes | |
| Julia Gillard Lalor | Yes | |
| Gary Gray Brand | Yes | |
| Sharon Grierson Newcastle | Yes | |
| Alan Griffin Bruce | Yes | |
| Damian Hale Solomon | Yes | |
| Jill Hall Shortland | Yes | |
| Chris Hayes Werriwa | Yes | |
| Julia Irwin Fowler | Yes | |
| Sharryn Jackson Hasluck | Yes | |
| Mike Kelly Eden-Monaro | Yes | |
| Duncan Kerr Denison | Yes | |
| Catherine King Ballarat | Yes | |
| Kirsten Livermore Capricornia | Yes | |
| Jenny Macklin Jagajaga | Yes | |
| Richard Marles Corio | Yes | |
| Robert McClelland Barton | Yes | |
| Maxine McKew Bennelong | Yes | |
| Bob McMullan Fraser | Yes | |
| Daryl Melham Banks | Yes | |
| John Murphy Lowe | Yes | |
| Belinda Neal Robertson | Yes | |
| Shayne Neumann Blair | Yes | |
| Brendan O'Connor Gorton | Yes | |
| Julie Owens Parramatta | Yes | |
| Melissa Parke Fremantle | Yes | |
| Graham Perrett Moreton | Yes | |
| Tanya Plibersek Sydney | Yes | |
| Roger Price Chifley | Yes | |
| Brett Raguse Forde | Yes | |
| Kerry Rea Bonner | Yes | |
| Bernie Ripoll Oxley | Yes | |
| Nicola Roxon Gellibrand | Yes | |
| Janelle Saffin Page | Yes | |
| Bill Shorten Maribyrnong | Yes | |
| Sid Sidebottom Braddon | Yes | |
| Jon Sullivan Longman | Yes | |
| Mike Symon Deakin | Yes | |
| Lindsay Tanner Melbourne | Yes | |
| Craig Thomson Dobell | Yes | |
| Kelvin Thomson Wills | Yes | |
| Chris Trevor Flynn | Yes | |
| Jim Turnour Leichhardt | Yes | |
| Maria Vamvakinou Calwell | Yes | |
| Tony Zappia Makin | Yes | |
| Arch Bevis Brisbane | Absent | |
| Jodie Campbell Bass | Absent | |
| Peter Garrett Kingsford Smith | Absent | |
| Steve Georganas Hindmarsh | Absent | |
| Amanda Rishworth Kingston | Absent | |
| Kevin Rudd Griffith | Absent | |
| Stephen Smith Perth | Absent | |
| Warren Snowdon Lingiari | Absent | |
| Wayne Swan Lilley | Absent | |
| Anna Burke Chisholm Deputy Speaker | Yes | |
| Robert Oakeshott Lyne Independent | Yes | |
| Tony Windsor New England Independent | Yes | |
| Bob Katter Kennedy Independent | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (87% turnout) | 0 Yes – 48 No | |
| Kevin Andrews Menzies | No | |
| Fran Bailey McEwen | No | |
| Bruce Billson Dunkley | No | |
| Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar | No | |
| Julie Bishop Curtin | No | |
| Russell Broadbent McMillan | No | |
| Steven Ciobo Moncrieff | No | |
| Peter Costello Higgins | No | |
| Peter Dutton Dickson | No | |
| Pat Farmer Macarthur | No | |
| Petro Georgiou Kooyong | No | |
| Barry Haase Kalgoorlie | No | |
| Alex Hawke Mitchell | No | |
| David Hawker Wannon | No | |
| Joe Hockey North Sydney | No | |
| Greg Hunt Flinders | No | |
| Steve Irons Swan | No | |
| Michael Johnson Ryan | No | |
| Michael Keenan Stirling | No | |
| Sussan Ley Farrer | No | |
| Peter Lindsay Herbert | No | |
| Ian Macfarlane Groom | No | |
| Nola Marino Forrest | No | |
| Louise Markus Greenway | No | |
| Margaret May McPherson | No | |
| Scott Morrison Cook | No | |
| Judi Moylan Pearce | No | |
| Brendan Nelson Bradfield | No | |
| Chris Pearce Aston | No | |
| Christopher Pyne Sturt | No | |
| Rowan Ramsey Grey | No | |
| Don Randall Canning | No | |
| Andrew Robb Goldstein | No | |
| Stuart Robert Fadden | No | |
| Philip Ruddock Berowra | No | |
| Alby Schultz Hume | No | |
| Patrick Secker Barker | No | |
| Luke Simpkins Cowan | No | |
| Peter Slipper Fisher | No | |
| Tony Smith Casey | No | |
| Alex Somlyay Fairfax | No | |
| Andrew Southcott Boothby | No | |
| Sharman Stone Murray | No | |
| Wilson Tuckey O'Connor | No | |
| Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth | No | |
| Danna Vale Hughes | No | |
| Mal Washer Moore | No | |
| Jason Wood La Trobe | No | |
| Tony Abbott Warringah | Absent | |
| Bob Baldwin Paterson | Absent | |
| Jamie Briggs Mayo | Absent | |
| Joanna Gash Gilmore | Absent | |
| Dennis Jensen Tangney | Absent | |
| Andrew Laming Bowman | Absent | |
| Sophie Mirabella Indi | Absent | |
| National Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 9 No | |
| Darren Chester Gippsland | No | |
| John Cobb Calare | No | |
| Mark Coulton Parkes | No | |
| John Forrest Mallee | No | |
| Luke Hartsuyker Cowper | No | |
| Kay Hull Riverina | No | |
| Paul Neville Hinkler | No | |
| Bruce Scott Maranoa | No | |
| Warren Truss Wide Bay | No | |
| Harry Jenkins Scullin Speaker | Absent | |
| Totals (88% turnout) | 75 Yes – 57 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.