Summary

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The majority agreed with the bills' main idea (in parliamentary jargon, they wanted to read the bills for a second time) but with two provisos - one introduced by Labor Senator Kim Carr and one introduced by Labor Senator Sue Lines.

Senator Kim Carr's proviso

Senator Carr proposed to add the following proviso, which was agreed to by the Senate:

At the end of the motion [to agree to the main idea of the bills], add:

but the Senate notes that the Government has failed to:

(a) advise apprentices before the election that they would be abolishing the Tools for Your Trade program, thus leaving Trade Support Loans as the only form of assistance for the purchase of tools;

(b) adequately ensure that clear and easily understood explanations of the loan, the indexing and the repayment requirements are provided to all apprentices in a consistent format, in particular for school-based apprentices;

(c) put in place adequate privacy protections for the large volumes of information that will be acquired through the Trade Support Loans Program; and

(d) offer:

(i) fair and reasonable transition arrangements for current apprentices; and

(ii) apprentices the option of lump sum payments in order to purchase expensive items.

Senator Sue Lines' proviso

Senator Lines proposed to add the following proviso, which was also agreed to by the Senate:

At the end of the motion [to agree to the main idea of the bills], add:

but the Senate calls on the government to determine a method for achieving parental/guardian approval for apprentices under 18 years of age, in particular school based apprentices, at the point of signing up for loan amounts.

Main idea of the bills

The bills create the Trade Support Loans Programme that will give apprentices access to a $20,000 loan, like the loans already available for university students under HECS.

Background to the bills

Prime Minister Tony Abbott promised to create this new loan programme during the 2013 election campaign.

Votes Passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 0 Yes 10 No
Richard Di Natale Victoria No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Scott Ludlam WA No
Christine Milne Tasmania No
Lee Rhiannon NSW No
Janet Rice Victoria No
Rachel Siewert WA No
Larissa Waters Queensland No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Penny Wright SA No
Australian Labor Party (75% turnout) 18 Yes 0 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Joe Bullock WA Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Sam Dastyari NSW Yes
John Faulkner NSW Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Chris Ketter Queensland Yes
Sue Lines WA Yes
Joe Ludwig Queensland Yes
Kate Lundy ACT Yes
Jan McLucas Queensland Yes
Claire Moore Queensland Yes
Deborah O'Neill NSW Yes
Nova Peris NT Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Yes
Lisa Singh Tasmania Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Jacinta Collins Victoria Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Anne McEwen SA Absent
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Ricky Muir Victoria Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party No
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Yes
John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party Absent
Gavin Marshall Victoria Deputy President Absent
Bob Day SA Family First Party Yes
Nick Xenophon SA Independent No
David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party Yes
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland Yes
James McGrath Queensland Yes
Liberal Party (76% turnout) 19 Yes 0 No
Christopher Back WA Yes
Cory Bernardi SA Yes
Simon Birmingham SA Yes
David Bushby Tasmania Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Mathias Cormann WA Yes
Sean Edwards SA Yes
David Fawcett SA Yes
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Yes
Mitch Fifield Victoria Yes
Ian Macdonald Queensland Yes
Brett Mason Queensland Yes
Linda Reynolds WA Yes
Anne Ruston SA Yes
Scott Ryan Victoria Yes
Zed Seselja ACT Yes
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
David Johnston WA Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Absent
National Party (100% turnout) 4 Yes 0 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Yes
Fiona Nash NSW Yes
Barry O'Sullivan Queensland Yes
John Williams NSW Yes
Nick Xenophon SA Nick Xenophon Team Absent
Palmer United Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 3 No
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania No
Glenn Lazarus Queensland No
Dio Wang WA No
Stephen Parry Tasmania President Yes
Totals (82% turnout) 47 Yes – 15 No