Summary

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The majority voted in favour of an amendment introduced by Labor Senator Jacinta Collins. This means that the Senate can now decide on whether to agree to the bill as amended.

The amendment relates to student start-up scholarship payments and will delay the indexation of the student start-up scholarships from 1 January next year to January 2017.

Background to the bill

The bill was introduced to improve the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) schemes, particularly VET FEE-HELP, by streamlining administration and increasing provider flexibility.(Read more about the bill in its bills digest (586 KB). You can access the bill's explanatory memorandum here.)

References

Votes Passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 0 Yes 9 No
Richard Di Natale Victoria No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Scott Ludlam WA No
Christine Milne Tasmania No
Lee Rhiannon NSW No
Rachel Siewert WA No
Larissa Waters Queensland No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Penny Wright SA No
Australian Labor Party (63% turnout) 19 Yes 0 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Mark Bishop WA Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Yes
Jacinta Collins Victoria Yes
Trish Crossin NT Yes
David Feeney Victoria Yes
Mark Furner Queensland Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Joe Ludwig Queensland Yes
Kate Lundy ACT Yes
Gavin Marshall Victoria Yes
Anne McEwen SA Yes
Jan McLucas Queensland Yes
Claire Moore Queensland Yes
Lisa Singh Tasmania Yes
Ursula Stephens NSW Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Lin Thorp Tasmania Yes
Bob Carr NSW Absent
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Chris Evans WA Absent
Don Farrell SA Absent
John Faulkner NSW Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Louise Pratt WA Absent
Matt Thistlethwaite NSW Absent
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Absent
John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party No
Stephen Parry Tasmania Deputy President Absent
Nick Xenophon SA Independent No
Liberal Party (30% turnout) 8 Yes 0 No
Christopher Back WA Yes
Sue Boyce Queensland Yes
David Bushby Tasmania Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Sean Edwards SA Yes
Anne Ruston SA Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Alan Eggleston WA Absent
David Fawcett SA 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
Scott Ryan Victoria Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (60% turnout) 3 Yes 0 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Yes
Fiona Nash NSW Yes
John Williams NSW Yes
Ron Boswell Queensland Absent
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (54% turnout) 30 Yes – 11 No