Summary

Edit

The majority voted against a motion moved by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, which means that it was unsuccessful. The motion was:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) that it has been 4 years since the Northern Territory Emergency Response began,

(ii) that investment in the program now exceeds $1.5 billion,

(iii) that the Closing the Gap report indicated that incarceration rates have risen, and that school attendance and

child nutrition have not improved, and

(iv) the growing crisis in Alice Springs as many people move from community into Alice Springs;

(b) draws attention to:

(i) the statement being launched in Darwin, ' Rebuilding from the ground up – an alternative to the Northern Territory Intervention' which calls for a new approach based on principles of self-determination, community control and a commitment to land rights, and

(ii) the serious concern raised by the United Nations' Universal Periodic Review and the United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination over Australia's failure to eliminate discrimination; and

(c) calls for:

(i) the repeal of the Northern Territory Emergency Response legislation, and

(ii) the development of a long-term plan in partnership with Aboriginal communities to equalise life opportunities and outcomes, backed up with a sustained investment of resources, particularly in community-based organisations.

Votes Not passed by a large majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (80% turnout) 4 Yes 0 No
Bob Brown Tasmania Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Christine Milne Tasmania Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Scott Ludlam WA Absent
Australian Labor Party (68% turnout) 0 Yes 21 No
Mark Arbib NSW No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Carol Brown Tasmania No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Trish Crossin NT No
Don Farrell SA No
John Faulkner NSW No
David Feeney Victoria 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
Ursula Stephens NSW No
Penny Wong SA No
Dana Wortley SA No
Mark Bishop WA Absent
Doug Cameron NSW Absent
Jacinta Collins Victoria Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
Michael Forshaw NSW Absent
Mark Furner Queensland Absent
Joe Ludwig Queensland Absent
Nick Sherry Tasmania Absent
Glenn Sterle WA 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 No
Liberal Party (27% turnout) 0 Yes 8 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Guy Barnett Tasmania No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Stephen Parry Tasmania No
Russell Trood Queensland No
Judith Adams WA Absent
Christopher Back WA Absent
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Sue Boyce Queensland Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Helen Coonan NSW Absent
Alan Eggleston WA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Mary Fisher SA Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Gary Humphries ACT Absent
David Johnston WA Absent
Helen Kroger Victoria 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
Judith Troeth Victoria Absent
National Party (40% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Ron Boswell Queensland No
Julian McGauran Victoria No
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Absent
Fiona Nash NSW Absent
John Williams NSW Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (49% turnout) 4 Yes – 33 No