edited
9th Oct 2014
Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 - Consideration in Detail - Keep power to make major environmental approvals with federal minister
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 89% attendance
12th Feb 2015, 1:38 PM – Senate Bills – Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 – in Committee – Amendment: extend protections to all threatened species
Summary
EditThe Senate voted not to accept an amendment to the Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2013, moved by Senator Larissa Waters.
According to the summary on the “bill’s homepage” on the Parliament’s website, this bill:
amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 to provide additional protection for dugong and turtle populations from the threats of poaching, illegal trade and illegal transportation.
Senator Waters explained the aim of their amendment:
This government has sought to introduce increased protection just for turtles and dugongs ... if the argument is that the penalties for turtles and dugongs are inadequate then surely that argument would logically extend to all of the penalties for the take of threatened species being indeed inadequate. And so we will move this amendment, the purpose of which is to say, 'Well, clearly, protection for threatened species is inadequate and does need to be increased.' This amendment would increase the penalties for the unlawful take of threatened species across the board, so that we are not just cherry picking and saying that turtles and dugongs deserve additional protection but no other threatened species do.
Senator Senator Simon Birmingham explained the Government’s opposition to this amendment:
Very briefly, the government will not be supporting these amendments. This policy about tripling penalties in relation to turtles and dugongs is one we took to the election ... We have made sure that we have worked hard to get broad support for this. To do so to other species would necessitate further public consultation, and that is why we do not believe that the amendments proposed by Senator Waters at this time are appropriate.
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 (48% turnout) | 0 Yes – 11 No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | No | |
| Joe Bullock WA | No | |
| Sam Dastyari NSW | No | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | No | |
| Chris Ketter Queensland | No | |
| Joe Ludwig Queensland | No | |
| Kate Lundy ACT | No | |
| Jan McLucas Queensland | No | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | No | |
| Lisa Singh Tasmania | No | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Absent | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | Absent | |
| Stephen Conroy Victoria | Absent | |
| Sue Lines WA | Absent | |
| Anne McEwen SA | Absent | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | Absent | |
| Nova Peris NT | Absent | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Absent | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Ricky Muir Victoria Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party | Yes | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | Absent | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria Deputy President | Absent | |
| Bob Day SA Family First Party | Absent | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Independent | Yes | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Independent | Yes | |
| John Madigan Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party | Absent | |
| Liberal National Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | No | |
| James McGrath Queensland | No | |
| Liberal Party (32% turnout) | 0 Yes – 8 No | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | No | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | No | |
| Sean Edwards SA | No | |
| Bill Heffernan NSW | No | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | No | |
| Anne Ruston SA | No | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria | No | |
| Dean Smith WA | No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Absent | |
| Christopher Back WA | Absent | |
| Cory Bernardi SA | Absent | |
| George Brandis Queensland | Absent | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | Absent | |
| David Fawcett SA | Absent | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Absent | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | Absent | |
| David Johnston WA | Absent | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Brett Mason Queensland | Absent | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Absent | |
| Michael Ronaldson Victoria | Absent | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | Absent | |
| Arthur Sinodinos NSW | Absent | |
| National Party (50% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | No | |
| John Williams NSW | No | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | Absent | |
| Barry O'Sullivan Queensland | Absent | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Nick Xenophon Team | Absent | |
| Palmer United Party (100% turnout) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Glenn Lazarus Queensland | Yes | |
| Dio Wang WA | Yes | |
| Stephen Parry Tasmania President | Absent | |
| Totals (51% turnout) | 15 Yes – 23 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.