Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion to read the bills for a second time.(Read more about the stages that a bill must pass through to become law here. ) This means that the majority agree with the main idea of the bills and that the Senate can now discuss them in more detail.

Background to the bills

The National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010 ('NBN Co bill') was introduced with the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network Measures-Access Arrangements) Bill 2010 ('Telecommunications bill').

The NBN Co bill establishes a regulatory framework for ownership, governance and operation of the NBN Co and its subsidiary corporations.(Read more about the NBN Co bill in its bills digest. ) The NBN Co was created to build and operate the National Broadband Network ('NBN'), a key Labor Government policy.

The Telecommunications bill supports the NBN Co bill by, among other things: supporting the rollout of NBN-consistent fibre to the premises networks in new real estate developments and placing certain obligations on the supply of wholesale services by an NBN corporation.(Read more about the Telecommunications bill in its bills digest.)

Votes Passed by a small 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 (94% turnout) 29 Yes 0 No
Mark Arbib NSW Yes
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Mark Bishop WA Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Yes
Jacinta Collins Victoria Yes
Stephen Conroy Victoria Yes
Trish Crossin NT Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
John Faulkner NSW Yes
David Feeney Victoria Yes
Michael Forshaw NSW Yes
Mark Furner Queensland Yes
Annette Hurley SA Yes
Steve Hutchins NSW Yes
Joe Ludwig Queensland Yes
Kate Lundy ACT Yes
Gavin Marshall Victoria Yes
Anne McEwen SA Yes
Jan McLucas Queensland Yes
Claire Moore Queensland Yes
Kerry O'Brien Tasmania Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Nick Sherry Tasmania Yes
Ursula Stephens NSW Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Penny Wong SA Yes
Dana Wortley SA Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party No
Alan Ferguson SA Deputy President No
Steve Fielding Victoria Family First Party Yes
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Yes
Liberal Party (93% turnout) 0 Yes 28 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania 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
George Brandis Queensland No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Helen Coonan NSW No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Alan Eggleston WA No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Mary Fisher SA No
Bill Heffernan NSW No
Gary Humphries ACT No
David Johnston WA No
Helen Kroger Victoria No
Ian Macdonald Queensland No
Brett Mason Queensland No
Nick Minchin SA No
Stephen Parry Tasmania No
Michael Ronaldson Victoria No
Scott Ryan Victoria No
Judith Troeth Victoria No
Russell Trood Queensland No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
National Party (80% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Barnaby Joyce Queensland No
Julian McGauran Victoria No
Fiona Nash NSW No
John Williams NSW No
Ron Boswell Queensland Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (92% turnout) 36 Yes – 34 No