17th Mar 2021, 5:25 PM – Representatives Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Bill 2021 - Second Reading - Keep motion unchanged

The majority voted in favour of a motion that:

the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question.

In other words, they voted to keep the original question unchanged. The original question was that:

That this bill be now read a second time.

To give a bill a second reading is to agree with its main idea. After a second reading, they can then discuss the bill in greater detail.

This vote occurred after the following amendment was proposed:

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) notes that the Government's measures in Schedule 2 of the bill would strip shareholders of their rights to be adequately informed, damage Australia's corporate governance regime, and allow company directors to get away with failing to disclose important information; and

(2) further notes these measures could damage Australian investment and hurt Australian investors and retirees"