Summary

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The majority voted against a Greens amendment introduced by Senator Larissa Waters.

The amendment calls for a moratorium on drilling through or into an aquifer in connection with coal seam gas mining. The moratorium would last for five years or less if the full research program of the Committee created by this bill takes less time. Senator Waters explained that this amendment ensures that "we wait and let this committee do its work before we issue any more approvals".(Read Senator Waters explanation of the amendment here. ) Senator Waters also emphasised that this restriction "does not apply to scientific research that is done to better understand the interaction of groundwater systems and coal seam gas mining".

Background to the bill

The bill establishes an Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development ('the Committee')(Read more about the Committee here. ) to provide federal, state and territory governments with scientific advice on coal seam gas and large coal mining developments which may have significant impacts on water resources.(See here for explanatory memoranda and proposed amendments.)

References

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 9 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
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Penny Wright SA Yes
Australian Labor Party (70% turnout) 0 Yes 21 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Mark Bishop WA No
Carol Brown Tasmania No
Doug Cameron NSW No
Stephen Conroy Victoria No
Trish Crossin NT No
Don Farrell SA No
John Faulkner NSW No
David Feeney Victoria No
Mark Furner Queensland No
Alex Gallacher SA No
Kate Lundy ACT No
Gavin Marshall Victoria No
Claire Moore Queensland No
Louise Pratt WA No
Lisa Singh Tasmania No
Ursula Stephens NSW No
Glenn Sterle WA No
Matt Thistlethwaite NSW No
Lin Thorp Tasmania No
Anne Urquhart Tasmania No
Bob Carr NSW Absent
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Jacinta Collins Victoria Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
Joe Ludwig Queensland Absent
Anne McEwen SA Absent
Jan McLucas Queensland Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party No
John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party Yes
Stephen Parry Tasmania Deputy President Absent
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Yes
Liberal Party (19% turnout) 0 Yes 5 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Christopher Back WA No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
David Fawcett SA No
Dean Smith WA No
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Sue Boyce Queensland Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
David Bushby Tasmania Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Sean Edwards SA Absent
Alan Eggleston WA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Mitch Fifield Victoria 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
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Absent
Anne Ruston SA Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (40% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Fiona Nash NSW No
Ron Boswell Queensland Absent
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Absent
John Williams NSW Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (53% turnout) 11 Yes – 29 No