Summary

Edit

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. This means that the motion was rejected.

The motion was:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the Federal Government’s ongoing commitment to continuing with the excised territories of Christmas Island, Cocos Islands and Ashmore Reef, and(Read about the Rudd government's decision to keep these islands outside of Australia's migration zone here. )

(ii) the sheer expense of running the offshore detention facility on Christmas Island;

(b) recognises concerns raised by the Australian Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and the Refugee Council of Australia, to the limited access to sufficient health facilities, resources, and torture and trauma counselling services, due to the remoteness and isolation of the Christmas Island detention facilities from mainland Australia; and

(c) calls on the Government to end the policy of excision and bring all offshore arrivals to the mainland for processing.(Read more about the history of asylum in Australia, including offshore processing, here.)

References

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 (84% turnout) 0 Yes 26 No
Mark Arbib NSW No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Mark Bishop WA No
Carol Brown Tasmania No
Doug Cameron NSW No
Jacinta Collins Victoria No
Chris Evans WA No
Don Farrell SA No
John Faulkner NSW No
David Feeney Victoria No
Michael Forshaw NSW No
Mark Furner Queensland No
Steve Hutchins NSW No
Joe Ludwig Queensland No
Kate Lundy ACT No
Gavin Marshall Victoria No
Anne McEwen SA No
Jan McLucas Queensland No
Claire Moore Queensland No
Kerry O'Brien Tasmania No
Helen Polley Tasmania No
Louise Pratt WA No
Nick Sherry Tasmania No
Ursula Stephens NSW No
Glenn Sterle WA No
Dana Wortley SA No
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Trish Crossin NT Absent
Annette Hurley SA Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Alan Ferguson SA Deputy President No
Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party No
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Yes
Liberal Party (50% turnout) 0 Yes 15 No
Judith Adams WA No
Christopher Back WA No
Guy Barnett Tasmania No
Simon Birmingham SA No
Sue Boyce Queensland No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Mary Fisher SA No
David Johnston WA No
Helen Kroger Victoria No
Stephen Parry Tasmania No
Michael Ronaldson Victoria No
Scott Ryan Victoria No
Russell Trood Queensland No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
David Bushby Tasmania Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Helen Coonan NSW Absent
Alan Eggleston WA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Gary Humphries ACT Absent
Ian Macdonald Queensland Absent
Brett Mason Queensland Absent
Nick Minchin SA Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Judith Troeth Victoria Absent
National Party (80% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Ron Boswell Queensland No
Barnaby Joyce Queensland No
Julian McGauran Victoria No
John Williams NSW No
Fiona Nash NSW Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (70% turnout) 6 Yes – 47 No