Summary

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The majority voted against an amendment introduced by Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, which means that it was rejected.

This amendment would have required certain additional information to be reported in the annual report of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation ('ASIO'). This information would have included:

  • the total number of requests made during the year for co-operation and assistance;
  • the name of each body which made a request; and
  • a summary of the purpose or purposes for which each request was made.(Read the exact wording of Senator Ludlam's amendment here.

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Background to the bill

The bill was introduced "to facilitate increased cooperation, assistance and information sharing in areas of key national security by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), the Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) and the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO)".(Read more about the purpose of the bill in its bills digest.)

According to the explanatory memorandum, this bill addresses the concerns highlighted in the inaugural National Security Statement in 2008. That statement identified the need for national security agencies to form a closer relationship through information sharing in order to address contemporary security issues. This need was further highlighted by the failed terrorist attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on 25 December 2009.

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 (74% turnout) 0 Yes 23 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Mark Bishop WA No
Carol Brown Tasmania No
Doug Cameron NSW No
Trish Crossin NT No
Don Farrell SA No
John Faulkner NSW No
David Feeney Victoria No
Michael Forshaw NSW No
Annette Hurley SA No
Steve Hutchins NSW 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
Mark Arbib NSW Absent
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Jacinta Collins Victoria Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
Mark Furner Queensland Absent
Joe Ludwig Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Alan Ferguson SA Deputy President Absent
Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party No
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Absent
Liberal Party (27% turnout) 0 Yes 8 No
Simon Birmingham SA No
George Brandis Queensland No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Helen Kroger Victoria No
Stephen Parry Tasmania No
Judith Troeth Victoria No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Judith Adams WA Absent
Christopher Back WA Absent
Guy Barnett Tasmania Absent
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
Sue Boyce Queensland Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Absent
Helen Coonan NSW Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Alan Eggleston WA Absent
Mary Fisher SA Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Gary Humphries ACT Absent
David Johnston WA 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
Russell Trood Queensland Absent
National Party (20% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
John Williams NSW No
Ron Boswell Queensland Absent
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Absent
Julian McGauran Victoria Absent
Fiona Nash NSW Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (50% turnout) 5 Yes – 33 No