25th Nov 2009, 4:13 PM – Senate Motions - Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Legislation - Defer question of third reading

Summary

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Family First Senator Steve Fielding that would have deferred the vote on whether to read the bills for a third time.(Read more about the stages that a bill must pass through before becoming law here. )

The motion was:

"That the question for the third reading of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 (No. 2) and 10 related bills not be put until the third sitting day in February 2010."

The Liberal Party were split on the issue of whether to vote 'aye' along with their National Party colleagues, with some voting 'aye' and others 'no'.

Background to the bills

The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 (No. 2) was introduced as part of a package of six bills along with five other related bills to introduce the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. They reflect the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 and its related acts, as amended in the House of Representatives before it was negated in the Senate.(See that division here. )

The scheme is an emission trading scheme designed to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in an effort to address climate change. It gives effect to Australia's obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

The design of the scheme has been criticised by the business community for threatening jobs and by environmentalists for not going far enough with its emission reduction targets.(Read more about these criticisms here.)

The six bills that were introduced as a package are called:

The five other related bills are called:

References

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

There were 11 rebellions in this division.

  • Judith Adams voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Christopher Back voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Guy Barnett voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Cory Bernardi voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • David Bushby voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Michaelia Cash voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Mathias Cormann voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Alan Eggleston voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Mitch Fifield voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Ian Macdonald voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
  • Brett Mason voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 0 Yes – 5 No
Bob Brown Tasmania No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Scott Ludlam WA No
Christine Milne Tasmania No
Rachel Siewert WA No
Australian Labor Party (94% turnout) 0 Yes – 29 No
Mark Arbib NSW No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Mark Bishop WA No
Carol Brown Tasmania No
Doug Cameron NSW No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Jacinta Collins Victoria No
Stephen Conroy Victoria No
Trish Crossin NT No
Chris Evans WA No
Don Farrell SA 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
Penny Wong SA No
Dana Wortley SA No
John Faulkner NSW Absent
Annette Hurley SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Alan Ferguson SA Deputy President Yes
Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party Yes
Nick Xenophon SA Independent No
Liberal Party (77% turnout) 11 Yes – 12 No
Judith Adams WA Yes
Christopher Back WA Yes
Guy Barnett Tasmania Yes
Cory Bernardi SA Yes
David Bushby Tasmania Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Mathias Cormann WA Yes
Alan Eggleston WA Yes
Mitch Fifield Victoria Yes
Ian Macdonald Queensland Yes
Brett Mason Queensland Yes
Simon Birmingham SA No
Sue Boyce Queensland No
George Brandis Queensland No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Helen Coonan NSW No
Gary Humphries ACT No
David Johnston WA No
Helen Kroger Victoria No
Stephen Parry Tasmania No
Marise Payne NSW No
Michael Ronaldson Victoria No
Russell Trood Queensland No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Mary Fisher SA Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Nick Minchin SA Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria Absent
Judith Troeth Victoria Absent
National Party (80% turnout) 4 Yes – 0 No
Ron Boswell Queensland Yes
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Yes
Fiona Nash NSW Yes
John Williams NSW Yes
Julian McGauran Victoria Absent
John Hogg Queensland President No
Totals (86% turnout) 17 Yes – 48 No

Red entries are rebel votes against the majority of a party.

Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.