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
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 |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.