Summary

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The majority voted in favour of the motion "That parts 3 to 6 stand as printed", which means that it was successful. This means that these parts will remain unchanged.

This motion was put in response to a motion to oppose these parts, which was introduced by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.(Read Senator Siewert's explanation of the motion and the associated debate here, after 12:28 pm. )

The bills digest provides more detailed information about parts 3 to 6. In summary:

  • part 3 relates to filtering publicly funded computers in order to prevent or block access to specified content;
  • part 4 provides for the acquisition of right, titles and interests in land and for the grants of leases for 5 years;
  • part 5 introduces stringent Commonwealth control over a number of aspects of community governance in Indigenous communities; and
  • part 6 amends Northern Territory law to prohibit a relevant authority that is exercising bail or sentencing discretion from taking customary law into consideration to lessen or aggravate the seriousness of the criminal behaviour of alleged offenders.(Read the bills digest for further detail on these parts and their background.

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Background to the bills

The Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007 was introduced along with four other bills:

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 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 (81% turnout) 22 Yes 0 No
George Campbell NSW Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Stephen Conroy Victoria Yes
Trish Crossin NT Yes
Chris Evans WA Yes
John Faulkner NSW Yes
Michael Forshaw NSW Yes
Annette Hurley SA Yes
Steve Hutchins NSW Yes
Linda Kirk SA 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
Ursula Stephens NSW Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Ruth Webber WA Yes
Penny Wong SA Yes
Dana Wortley SA Yes
Mark Bishop WA Absent
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Joe Ludwig Queensland Absent
Kate Lundy ACT Absent
Nick Sherry Tasmania Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Yes
John Hogg Queensland Deputy President Yes
Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party Absent
Liberal Party (66% turnout) 21 Yes 0 No
Judith Adams WA Yes
Guy Barnett Tasmania Yes
Cory Bernardi SA Yes
Simon Birmingham SA Yes
Sue Boyce Queensland Yes
Paul Calvert Tasmania Yes
Grant Chapman SA Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Mathias Cormann WA Yes
Alan Eggleston WA Yes
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Yes
Mitch Fifield Victoria Yes
Mary Fisher SA Yes
Gary Humphries ACT Yes
Rod Kemp Victoria Yes
Stephen Parry Tasmania Yes
Kay Patterson Victoria Yes
Marise Payne NSW Yes
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Yes
Russell Trood Queensland Yes
John Watson Tasmania Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Helen Coonan NSW Absent
Chris Ellison WA Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
David Johnston WA Absent
Ross Lightfoot WA Absent
Ian Macdonald Queensland Absent
Brett Mason Queensland Absent
Nick Minchin SA Absent
Judith Troeth Victoria Absent
National Party (80% turnout) 4 Yes 0 No
Ron Boswell Queensland Yes
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Yes
Sandy Macdonald NSW Yes
Fiona Nash NSW Yes
Julian McGauran Victoria Absent
Alan Ferguson SA President Absent
Totals (75% turnout) 49 Yes – 8 No