Summary

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, which means it was rejected. The motion was:

That the Senate-

(a)   notes that:

(i)   the technical and further education (TAFE) system, as the dominant provider of vocational education and training (VET) since its inception, has improved Australian skill levels with important assistance provided to Indigenous and other disadvantaged communities,

(ii)   while TAFE is the key component of VET, its base funding is diminishing, and

(iii)   a report by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research found that a 6 per cent funding increase did not match a 12 per cent increase in training and course delivery costs; and

(b)   calls on the Government to:

(i)   work to address the skills shortages by securing public funding for TAFE,

(ii)   rule out supporting a Higher Education Contribution Scheme-style university loans scheme for TAFE students,

(iii)   increase TAFE funding so it can continue to offer a broad range of high quality, diverse programs for all the community, and

(iv)   ensure the Ministerial Council of Tertiary Education and Employment commissions a review of VET since the competition policy was introduced.

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 9 Yes 0 No
Bob Brown Tasmania Yes
Richard Di Natale Victoria Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Scott Ludlam WA Yes
Christine Milne Tasmania Yes
Lee Rhiannon NSW Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Penny Wright SA Yes
Australian Labor Party (67% turnout) 0 Yes 20 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Mark Bishop WA No
Doug Cameron NSW No
Trish Crossin NT No
Don Farrell SA No
David Feeney Victoria No
Mark Furner Queensland No
Alex Gallacher 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
Helen Polley Tasmania No
Louise Pratt WA No
Lisa Singh Tasmania No
Glenn Sterle WA No
Matt Thistlethwaite NSW No
Anne Urquhart Tasmania No
Mark Arbib NSW Absent
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Jacinta Collins Victoria Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
John Faulkner NSW Absent
Nick Sherry Tasmania Absent
Ursula Stephens NSW Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party No
John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party No
Stephen Parry Tasmania Deputy President Absent
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Absent
Liberal Party (56% turnout) 0 Yes 15 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Judith Adams WA No
Cory Bernardi SA No
Sue Boyce Queensland No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Sean Edwards SA No
Alan Eggleston WA No
David Fawcett SA No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Mary Fisher SA No
Helen Kroger Victoria No
Stephen Parry Tasmania No
Christopher Back WA Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Mitch Fifield Victoria Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Gary Humphries ACT Absent
David Johnston WA Absent
Ian Macdonald Queensland Absent
Brett Mason Queensland Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (80% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Ron Boswell Queensland No
Barnaby Joyce Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Fiona Nash NSW No
John Williams NSW Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (66% turnout) 9 Yes – 41 No