edited
28th Sep 2017
Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws — General Law Reform) Bill 2008 - Second Reading
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 88% attendance
12th Nov 2008, 6:53 PM – Senate Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws - General Law Reform) Bill 2008 - In Committee - Legalise same-sex marriage
Summary
EditThe majority voted against Greens amendment (1), which would have changed the Marriage Act to legalise same-sex marriage if it had been successful.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young explained that:
This amendment deals with amending the Marriage Act to ensure that in this particular bill, which is the general law reform bill, we enable same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples to have the same rights and entitlements as each other. There is one glaring omission from this particular bill, and that is the Marriage Act. I have flagged this numerous times. The Greens have been talking about the need for gay marriage law reform for a long time and this is the appropriate place to do this.
Motion text
(1) Schedule 2, page 21 (after line 16), after item 60, insert:
Marriage Act 1961
60A Section 5 (definition of marriage)
Omit “a man and a woman”, substitute “two persons, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity”.
60B Subsection 47(1)
Omit “a man and a woman”, substitute “two persons, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity”.
Votes Not passed by a large majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (100% turnout) | 5 Yes – 0 No | |
| Bob Brown Tasmania | Yes | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | Yes | |
| Scott Ludlam WA | Yes | |
| Christine Milne Tasmania | Yes | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | Yes | |
| Australian Labor Party (65% turnout) | 0 Yes – 20 No | |
| Mark Arbib NSW | No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | No | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | No | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | No | |
| Trish Crossin NT | No | |
| Don Farrell SA | No | |
| David Feeney Victoria | No | |
| Mark Furner Queensland | No | |
| Annette Hurley SA | No | |
| Steve Hutchins NSW | No | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria | No | |
| Anne McEwen SA | No | |
| Jan McLucas Queensland | No | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | No | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | No | |
| Louise Pratt WA | No | |
| Ursula Stephens NSW | No | |
| Penny Wong SA | No | |
| Dana Wortley SA | No | |
| Mark Bishop WA | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| Stephen Conroy Victoria | Absent | |
| Chris Evans WA | Absent | |
| John Faulkner NSW | Absent | |
| Michael Forshaw NSW | Absent | |
| Joe Ludwig Queensland | Absent | |
| Kate Lundy ACT | Absent | |
| Kerry O'Brien Tasmania | Absent | |
| Nick Sherry Tasmania | Absent | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Absent | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | No | |
| Alan Ferguson SA Deputy President | No | |
| Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party | No | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Independent | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (13% turnout) | 0 Yes – 4 No | |
| Judith Adams WA | No | |
| George Brandis Queensland | No | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | No | |
| Stephen Parry Tasmania | No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Absent | |
| Guy Barnett Tasmania | Absent | |
| Cory Bernardi SA | Absent | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| Sue Boyce Queensland | Absent | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Helen Coonan NSW | Absent | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | Absent | |
| Alan Eggleston WA | Absent | |
| Chris Ellison WA | Absent | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Absent | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | Absent | |
| Mary Fisher SA | Absent | |
| Bill Heffernan NSW | Absent | |
| Gary Humphries ACT | Absent | |
| David Johnston WA | Absent | |
| Helen Kroger Victoria | Absent | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Brett Mason Queensland | Absent | |
| Nick Minchin SA | Absent | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Absent | |
| Michael Ronaldson Victoria | Absent | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria | Absent | |
| Judith Troeth Victoria | Absent | |
| Russell Trood Queensland | Absent | |
| National Party (40% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Barnaby Joyce Queensland | No | |
| John Williams NSW | No | |
| Ron Boswell Queensland | Absent | |
| Julian McGauran Victoria | Absent | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | Absent | |
| John Hogg Queensland President | No | |
| Totals (46% turnout) | 5 Yes – 30 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.