Summary

Edit

The majority disagreed that the National School Chaplaincy Program should be replaced with a "program offering genuine counselling" (see the wording below).

Wording of the motion

The Greens wanted to add the following at the end of the motion "That the bill be read a second time":

but the Senate considers that the National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program should be replaced with a program offering genuine counselling and other assistance to students by professionals with appropriate tertiary qualifications.

Main idea of the bill

The bill was introduced to make sure that the National School Chaplaincy Program could continue after the High Court's decision in Williams v Commonwealth [2012] HCA 23 (read the decision).

Background to the bill

Williams v Commonwealth was about an agreement between the Federal Government and the Scripture Union Queensland (SCU) which funded chaplaincy services in Queensland state schools (the National School Chaplaincy Program). A parent, Ronald Williams, argued that this agreement was invalid because the Executive branch of the Federal Government didn't have the power to enter it. Because Mr Williams was successful, the agreement was invalid.

Read more in the bills digest.

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (89% turnout) 8 Yes 0 No
Richard Di Natale Victoria Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Scott Ludlam WA Yes
Christine Milne Tasmania Yes
Lee Rhiannon NSW Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Penny Wright SA Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Absent
Australian Labor Party (77% turnout) 0 Yes 23 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
Chris Evans WA No
Don Farrell SA No
Mark Furner Queensland No
Alex Gallacher SA No
Kate Lundy ACT No
Gavin Marshall Victoria No
Anne McEwen SA No
Jan McLucas Queensland No
Claire Moore Queensland No
Louise Pratt WA No
Lisa Singh Tasmania No
Ursula Stephens NSW No
Matt Thistlethwaite NSW No
Lin Thorp Tasmania No
Anne Urquhart Tasmania No
Penny Wong SA No
Bob Carr NSW Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
John Faulkner NSW Absent
David Feeney Victoria Absent
Joe Ludwig Queensland Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Absent
John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party No
Stephen Parry Tasmania Deputy President No
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Absent
Liberal Party (52% turnout) 0 Yes 14 No
Sue Boyce Queensland No
George Brandis Queensland No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Sean Edwards SA No
David Fawcett SA No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Bill Heffernan NSW No
Helen Kroger Victoria No
Ian Macdonald Queensland No
Marise Payne NSW No
Dean Smith WA No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Christopher Back WA Absent
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Alan Eggleston WA Absent
Mary Fisher SA Absent
Gary Humphries ACT Absent
David Johnston WA Absent
Brett Mason Queensland Absent
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (20% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Ron Boswell Queensland Absent
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Absent
Fiona Nash NSW Absent
John Williams NSW Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (63% turnout) 8 Yes – 40 No