17th Jul 2014, 12:27 PM – Senate Motions — Asylum Seekers — Against 'on water' screening and transfer practices
Summary
EditThe majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. The motion was:
"That the Senate calls on the Government to cease the current 'on water' screening and transfers of asylum seekers which the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said fall well short of Australia's international obligations and could mean that asylum seekers were returned, or refouled, to persecution."
Background to the motion
By "'on water' screening and transfers", Senator Hanson-Young is referring to two recent incidents involving asylum seeker boats intercepted by Australian Customs.
The first involved an asylum seeker boat that carried 41 asylum seekers from Sri Lanka, including four Tamils. The boat was intercepted by Australian Customs and their claims for asylum were assessed via teleconference at sea. Only one was found to have a case for seeking asylum, but the Government says they chose to return to Sri Lanka with the others after being told they would be sent to Manus Island or Nauru. All 41 people were transferred to the Sri Lankan navy and are now facing charges in a Sri Lankan Court.(Read more about the 41 people returned to Sri Lanka by Australian Customs here.)
The second incident involved a boat that carried 153 asylum seekers, including young children. The boat was also intercepted by Australian Customs but a High Court interim injunction blocked them from transferring the asylum seekers to Sri Lanka.(Read more about the High Court interim injunction here. ) The Government has undertaken to give three days' notice before returning the asylum seekers. Currently, the 153 asylum seekers are aboard a Customs vessel in an unknown location and it is unclear whether they will stay there until their case can proceed through the High Court.(Read more about the standoff in the High Court here.)
Australia's international protection obligations include the principle of non-refoulement, which ABC News explained as "UN-speak for not turning away a refugee without a fair hearing, a key tenet of the 1951 Refugee Convention".(Read the whole ABC News article here.)
Votes Not passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (100% turnout) | 10 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 | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | Yes | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | Yes | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | Yes | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | Yes | |
| Penny Wright SA | Yes | |
| Australian Labor Party (75% turnout) | 18 Yes – 0 No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Yes | |
| Joe Bullock WA | Yes | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | Yes | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | Yes | |
| Stephen Conroy Victoria | Yes | |
| Sam Dastyari NSW | Yes | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | Yes | |
| Chris Ketter Queensland | Yes | |
| Sue Lines WA | Yes | |
| Joe Ludwig Queensland | Yes | |
| Kate Lundy ACT | Yes | |
| Anne McEwen SA | Yes | |
| Jan McLucas Queensland | Yes | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | Yes | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | Yes | |
| Nova Peris NT | Yes | |
| Lisa Singh Tasmania | Yes | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Yes | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| John Faulkner NSW | Absent | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Absent | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Ricky Muir Victoria Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party | No | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | No | |
| John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party | Yes | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria Deputy President | Absent | |
| Bob Day SA Family First Party | No | |
| David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party | No | |
| Liberal National Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | No | |
| James McGrath Queensland | No | |
| Liberal Party (80% turnout) | 0 Yes – 20 No | |
| Christopher Back WA | No | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | No | |
| George Brandis Queensland | No | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | No | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | No | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | No | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | No | |
| Sean Edwards SA | No | |
| David Fawcett SA | No | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | No | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | No | |
| Bill Heffernan NSW | No | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | No | |
| Marise Payne NSW | No | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | No | |
| Anne Ruston SA | No | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria | No | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | No | |
| Arthur Sinodinos NSW | No | |
| Dean Smith WA | No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Absent | |
| Cory Bernardi SA | Absent | |
| David Johnston WA | Absent | |
| Brett Mason Queensland | Absent | |
| Michael Ronaldson Victoria | Absent | |
| National Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 4 No | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | No | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | No | |
| Barry O'Sullivan Queensland | No | |
| John Williams NSW | No | |
| 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 | Absent | |
| Totals (82% turnout) | 29 Yes – 33 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.