Summary

Edit

The majority voted to keep certain items (schedule 2, item 5 and schedule 3, item 3) in the bill unchanged.

This vote happened after Greens Senator Bob Brown moved the following:

(1) Schedule 2, item 5, page 26 (lines 11 to 25), TO BE OPPOSED.

(2) Schedule 3, item 3, page 31 (line 30) to page 32 (line 13), TO BE OPPOSED.

This means that Senator Brown wanted the Senate to reject these items. However, he was unsuccessful and the items remained unchanged.

What were the items that Senator Brown opposed?

Senator Brown explained that he opposed the two items because they would mean that:

... the Chief of the Defence Force, acting on the direction of the Prime Minister, can intervene on a protest by Australians where he or she thinks there is a reasonable chance of serious damage to property. In other words, the Prime Minister can have the Chief of the Defence Force send troops into action against Australians who are protesting on any account.

Text of Schedule 2, item 5:

Insert:

(2A) Despite subsection (1), in exercising powers under Division 2A, a member of the Defence Force must not, in using force against a person:

(a) do anything that is likely to cause the death of, or grievous bodily harm to, the person unless the member believes on reasonable grounds that doing that thing is necessary to:

(i) protect the life of, or to prevent serious injury to, another person (including the member); or

(ii) protect, against the threat concerned, the designated critical infrastructure in respect of which the powers are being exercised; or

(b) subject the person to greater indignity than is reasonable and necessary in the circumstances.

Text of Schedule 3, item 3:

Insert:

(2B) Despite subsection (1), in exercising powers under subparagraph 51SE(1)(a)(i) or (ii) or Division 3B, a member of the Defence Force must not, in using force against a person or thing, do anything that is likely to cause the death of, or grievous bodily harm to, the person unless the member believes on reasonable grounds that:

(a) doing that thing is necessary to protect the life of, or to prevent serious injury to, another person (including the member); or

(b) doing that thing is necessary to protect designated critical infrastructure against a threat of damage or disruption to its operation; or

(c) doing that thing is necessary and reasonable to give effect to the order under which, or under the authority of which, the member is acting.

Learn more about the bill

See the bills digest for more information about the bill.

Votes Passed by a large majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Democrats (100% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Lyn Allison Victoria No
Andrew Bartlett Queensland No
Andrew Murray WA No
Natasha Stott Despoja SA No
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Bob Brown Tasmania No
Christine Milne Tasmania No
Kerry Nettle NSW No
Rachel Siewert WA No
Australian Labor Party (85% turnout) 23 Yes 0 No
Mark Bishop WA Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Stephen Conroy Victoria Yes
Trish Crossin NT Yes
John Faulkner NSW Yes
Michael Forshaw NSW Yes
Annette Hurley SA Yes
Steve Hutchins NSW Yes
Linda Kirk SA Yes
Joe Ludwig Queensland Yes
Kate Lundy ACT Yes
Anne McEwen SA Yes
Jan McLucas Queensland Yes
Claire Moore Queensland Yes
Kerry O'Brien Tasmania Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Yes
Robert Ray Victoria Yes
Ursula Stephens NSW Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Ruth Webber WA Yes
Penny Wong SA Yes
Dana Wortley SA Yes
George Campbell NSW Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
Gavin Marshall Victoria Absent
Nick Sherry Tasmania Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Yes
John Hogg Queensland Deputy President Yes
Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party Yes
Liberal Party (75% turnout) 24 Yes 0 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Yes
Judith Adams WA Yes
Guy Barnett Tasmania Yes
George Brandis Queensland Yes
Ian Campbell WA Yes
Grant Chapman SA Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Alan Eggleston WA Yes
Alan Ferguson SA Yes
Jeannie Ferris SA Yes
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Yes
Mitch Fifield Victoria Yes
Gary Humphries ACT Yes
David Johnston WA Yes
Ross Lightfoot WA Yes
Ian Macdonald Queensland Yes
Brett Mason Queensland Yes
Stephen Parry Tasmania Yes
Kay Patterson Victoria Yes
Marise Payne NSW Yes
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Yes
Santo Santoro Queensland Yes
Judith Troeth Victoria Yes
Russell Trood Queensland Yes
Helen Coonan NSW Absent
Chris Ellison WA Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Robert Hill SA Absent
Rod Kemp Victoria Absent
Nick Minchin SA Absent
Amanda Vanstone SA Absent
John Watson Tasmania Absent
National Party (80% turnout) 4 Yes 0 No
Ron Boswell Queensland Yes
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Yes
Julian McGauran Victoria Yes
Fiona Nash NSW Yes
Sandy Macdonald NSW Absent
Paul Calvert Tasmania President Absent
Totals (82% turnout) 54 Yes – 8 No