Summary

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The majority voted in favour of the main idea of the bill. In parliamentary jargon, they voted in favour of reading the bill for a second time. Now the Senate can discuss the bill in more detail.

What is the bill's main idea?

The purpose of the bill is to make changes, such as:

  • making it so that the asylum seeker has the responsibility to specify all particulars of a protection claim and provide sufficient evidence to substantiate such claims (basically, the onus is on the asylum seeker)
  • creating grounds to refuse a protection visa application when an applicant refuses or fails to establish their identity, nationality or citizenship, and does not have a reasonable explanation for doing so
  • create grounds to refuse a protection visa application when an applicant provides "bogus" documents to establish their identity or either destroys or discards identity evidence, or has caused that evidence to be destroyed or discarded
  • clarify that a family member of a protection visa holder cannot be granted a protection visa on the basis of being a family member if they apply after the initial visa has been granted

Read more about the bill's main idea in the bills digest.

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 (57% turnout) 13 Yes 0 No
Joe Bullock WA Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Alex Gallacher SA 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
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Absent
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Jacinta Collins Victoria Absent
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Sam Dastyari NSW Absent
Chris Ketter Queensland Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Lisa Singh 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 Yes
Bob Day SA Family First Party Yes
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Independent Yes
Glenn Lazarus Queensland Independent Yes
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Yes
John Madigan Victoria Independent No
David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party Yes
Liberal National Party (50% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
James McGrath Queensland Yes
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (48% turnout) 12 Yes 0 No
Christopher Back WA Yes
David Bushby Tasmania Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Sean Edwards SA Yes
David Fawcett SA 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
Dean Smith WA Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
David Johnston WA Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Michael Ronaldson Victoria Absent
Zed Seselja ACT Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (50% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Yes
Barry O'Sullivan Queensland Yes
Fiona Nash NSW Absent
John Williams NSW Absent
Nick Xenophon SA Nick Xenophon Team Absent
Dio Wang WA Palmer United Party Yes
Stephen Parry Tasmania President Absent
Totals (63% turnout) 36 Yes – 11 No