Summary

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, which means that it was unsuccessful. The motion would have amended the original motion "That these bills be now read a second time" with the following:

At the end of the motion, add: and the Senate calls on the Government to invest the full amount raised by the Medicare Levy Surcharge (approximately $145 million over 4 years) into mental health programs: (a) Communities of Youth, Mental Health ($30m p.a.) proposed by National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC); (b) Headspace (30 new services at $1m p.a. or $30m); (c) Early psychosis prevention and intervention services ($26m p.a.); and (d) Lifeline suicide hospital discharge and treatment plan ($15.39m as a total package over three years) and a new Lifeline freecall number ($17.5m p.a.).

Background to the bills

The Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives (Medicare Levy Surcharge) Bill 2009 (No. 2) and the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives (Medicare Levy Surcharge — Fringe Benefits) Bill 2009 (No. 2) were introduced as part of a package of three bills along with the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2009 (No. 2). The bills create three private health insurance tiers in order to increase the rate of Medicare levy surcharge for taxpayers who do not have complying health insurance and whose income (including reportable fringe benefits) for surcharge purposes is above the relevant Medicare levy surcharge threshold.

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
Kim Carr Victoria No
Jacinta Collins Victoria No
Trish Crossin NT No
Don Farrell SA No
John Faulkner NSW No
David Feeney Victoria No
Mark Furner Queensland No
Annette Hurley SA 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
Glenn Sterle WA No
Penny Wong SA No
Dana Wortley SA No
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
Michael Forshaw NSW Absent
Steve Hutchins NSW Absent
Ursula Stephens NSW 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 No
Liberal Party (73% turnout) 0 Yes 22 No
Judith Adams WA No
Christopher Back WA No
Guy Barnett Tasmania No
Cory Bernardi SA No
Simon Birmingham SA No
Sue Boyce Queensland No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Helen Coonan NSW No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Mary Fisher SA No
Gary Humphries ACT No
David Johnston WA No
Brett Mason Queensland No
Nick Minchin SA No
Stephen Parry Tasmania No
Marise Payne NSW No
Scott Ryan Victoria No
Judith Troeth Victoria No
Russell Trood Queensland No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Alan Eggleston WA Absent
Mitch Fifield Victoria Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Helen Kroger Victoria Absent
Ian Macdonald Queensland Absent
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Absent
National Party (80% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Ron Boswell Queensland No
Julian McGauran Victoria No
Fiona Nash NSW No
John Williams NSW No
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Absent
John Hogg Queensland President No
Totals (80% turnout) 5 Yes – 56 No