23rd Mar 2021, 4:21 PM – Representatives Business - Rearrangement - Don't let a vote happen

The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with a motion introduced by MP for Warringah Zali Steggall (Independent). The motion was to suspend the usual procedural rules - known as standing orders - in order to let a vote happen. Because the majority voted to disagree with this motion, the vote will not go ahead.

Motion text

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Warringah from moving the following motion immediately—

(1) That the House notes:

(a) the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Law Council of Australia have identified that the Sex Discrimination Act does not prohibit sexual harassment in all circumstance and workplaces;

(b) the events exposed in Parliament House over the past month have highlighted the urgent need to amend the Act to ensure that Members of Parliament are liable for and protected from sexual harassment;

(c) in 2008, the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs recommended amending the Act to include a broad prohibition on sexual harassment in any area of public life;

(d) following the Dyson Heydon inquiry, the Law Council of Australia launched its National Action Plan to Address Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession which recommends that the Sex Discrimination Act be amended to include the language that "a person must not sexually harass another person"; and

(e) the Sex Discrimination Act (Prohibiting All Sexual Harassment) Bill 2021 seeks to make that amendment; and

(2) that so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent private Members' business order of the day No. 29, the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Prohibiting All Sexual Harassment) Bill 2021, being called on immediately and given priority over all other business for final determination of the House.