edited
10th Oct 2014
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007 - Second Reading - Labor amendment to second reading motion
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 85% attendance
15th Aug 2007, 10:41 AM – Senate Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007 and related bills - In Committee - 'Just terms' compensation
Summary
EditThis division relates to the Policy For the NT National Emergency Response.
The majority voted against amendments introduced by Labor Senator Chris Evans, which means they were rejected.
Senator Evans explained that his amendments relate to "the question of ‘just terms’ compensation".(Read more about the constitutional right to compensation on 'just terms' here. ) The measures introduced by these bills do impact on the property rights of Indigenous people in the Northern Territory, which the Government claims is necessary "to facilitate the emergency improvements in housing and infrastructure". The Labor Party supports these measures so long as "the rights of Indigenous people to ‘just terms’ compensation are not undermined".(Read Senator Evans' full explanation here. )
Background to the bills
The Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007 was introduced along with four other bills:
- the Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Northern Territory National Emergency Response and Other Measures) Bill 2007
- the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007
- the Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008, and
- the Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008.
This legislation was introduced in response to the Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse, known as the Little Children are Sacred report, which was publicly released on 15 June 2007.(Read more about the background of the bills in the interim bills digest. ) That report came after concerns were raised on ABC's Lateline program in 2006.(Read the transcript for the Lateline programs that addressed the issue of child abuse in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory here (the May 2006 program) and here (the June 2006 program).)
Votes Not passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Democrats (100% turnout) | 4 Yes – 0 No | |
| Lyn Allison Victoria | Yes | |
| Andrew Bartlett Queensland | Yes | |
| Andrew Murray WA | Yes | |
| Natasha Stott Despoja SA | Yes | |
| Australian Greens (100% turnout) | 4 Yes – 0 No | |
| Bob Brown Tasmania | Yes | |
| Christine Milne Tasmania | Yes | |
| Kerry Nettle NSW | Yes | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | Yes | |
| Australian Labor Party (85% turnout) | 23 Yes – 0 No | |
| Mark Bishop WA | Yes | |
| George Campbell NSW | Yes | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Yes | |
| Stephen Conroy Victoria | Yes | |
| Trish Crossin NT | Yes | |
| Chris Evans WA | Yes | |
| Michael Forshaw NSW | Yes | |
| Annette Hurley SA | Yes | |
| Steve Hutchins NSW | Yes | |
| Linda Kirk SA | Yes | |
| Joe Ludwig Queensland | Yes | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria | 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 | |
| Nick Sherry Tasmania | Yes | |
| Ursula Stephens NSW | Yes | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Yes | |
| Ruth Webber WA | Yes | |
| Dana Wortley SA | Yes | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Absent | |
| John Faulkner NSW | Absent | |
| Kate Lundy ACT | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | No | |
| John Hogg Queensland Deputy President | Yes | |
| Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party | Yes | |
| Liberal Party (91% turnout) | 0 Yes – 29 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | No | |
| Judith Adams WA | No | |
| Guy Barnett Tasmania | No | |
| Cory Bernardi SA | No | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | No | |
| Sue Boyce Queensland | No | |
| George Brandis Queensland | No | |
| Paul Calvert Tasmania | No | |
| Grant Chapman SA | No | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | No | |
| Helen Coonan NSW | No | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | No | |
| Alan Eggleston WA | No | |
| Chris Ellison WA | No | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | No | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | No | |
| Mary Fisher SA | No | |
| Bill Heffernan NSW | No | |
| David Johnston WA | No | |
| Rod Kemp Victoria | No | |
| Ross Lightfoot WA | No | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | No | |
| Brett Mason Queensland | No | |
| Stephen Parry Tasmania | No | |
| Kay Patterson Victoria | No | |
| Marise Payne NSW | No | |
| Michael Ronaldson Victoria | No | |
| Russell Trood Queensland | No | |
| John Watson Tasmania | No | |
| Gary Humphries ACT | Absent | |
| Nick Minchin SA | Absent | |
| Judith Troeth Victoria | Absent | |
| National Party (80% turnout) | 0 Yes – 4 No | |
| Ron Boswell Queensland | No | |
| Sandy Macdonald NSW | No | |
| Julian McGauran Victoria | No | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | No | |
| Barnaby Joyce Queensland | Absent | |
| Alan Ferguson SA President | No | |
| Totals (89% turnout) | 33 Yes – 35 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.