25th Oct 2021, 12:14 PM – Representatives Motions - Member for Pearce - Don't let a vote happen

The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with a motion introduced by Watson MP Tony Burke (Labor), which means the motion failed. The motion was to suspend the usual procedural rules of parliament - known as standing orders - in order to let another vote happen.

Motion text

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Manager of Opposition Business from moving the following motion immediately:

(1) notes:

(a) last week, the Morrison-Joyce government voted down a privileges motion given precedence by the Speaker for the first time since Federation;

(b) media reports that "Liberal backbenchers were completely horrified" by that vote, which protected the Member for Pearce from having to disclose the sources of donations;

(c) this renders the Register of Members' Interests completely meaningless; and

(d) those same backbenchers now have the chance to put things right and restore basic standards of transparency and integrity to this Parliament;

(2) provides leave for the Manager of Opposition Business to once again move a motion to refer the Member for Pearce to the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests.