Business — Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2015; Second Reading
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 87% attendance
30th Nov 2015, 6:29 PM – Senate Bills — Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2015; First Reading
Summary
EditThe majority voted in favour of a motion that the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Family Payments Structural Reform and Participation Measures) Bill 2015 be read a first time. Passing this motion means that the bills can be introduced into the Senate.
According to The Parliament, this bill:
Amends the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 to restructure family tax benefit Part B by removing the benefit for couple families (other than grandparents or great-grandparents) with a youngest child 13 years of age or over.
According to Odgers’ Australian Senate Practice, “the first reading is normally passed without opposition and is regarded as a purely formal stage”. That the Senate divided to vote on this motion, rather than passing it “on the voices”, suggests that the amendments to the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 included in this bill were controversial.
Votes Passed by a modest majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (80% turnout) | 0 Yes – 8 No | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | No | |
| Scott Ludlam WA | No | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | No | |
| Lee Rhiannon NSW | No | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | No | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | No | |
| Robert Simms SA | No | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | No | |
| Richard Di Natale Victoria | Absent | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (63% turnout) | 15 Yes – 0 No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Yes | |
| Joe Bullock WA | Yes | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | Yes | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | Yes | |
| Chris Ketter Queensland | Yes | |
| Sue Lines WA | Yes | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | Yes | |
| Anne McEwen SA | Yes | |
| Jan McLucas Queensland | Yes | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | Yes | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | Yes | |
| Nova Peris NT | Yes | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Yes | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Yes | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Yes | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | Absent | |
| Stephen Conroy Victoria | Absent | |
| Sam Dastyari NSW | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Joe Ludwig Queensland | Absent | |
| Lisa Singh Tasmania | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Ricky Muir Victoria Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party | No | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | Absent | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria Deputy President | Yes | |
| Bob Day SA Family First Party | Absent | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Independent | Yes | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Independent | No | |
| Glenn Lazarus Queensland Independent | No | |
| John Madigan Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party | Yes | |
| Liberal National Party (50% turnout) | 1 Yes – 0 No | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Yes | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (48% turnout) | 12 Yes – 0 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Yes | |
| Christopher Back WA | Yes | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | Yes | |
| Sean Edwards SA | Yes | |
| David Fawcett SA | Yes | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Yes | |
| Jo Lindgren Queensland | Yes | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Yes | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Yes | |
| Michael Ronaldson Victoria | Yes | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria | Yes | |
| Dean Smith WA | Yes | |
| Cory Bernardi SA | Absent | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| George Brandis Queensland | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Absent | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | Absent | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | Absent | |
| Bill Heffernan NSW | Absent | |
| David Johnston WA | Absent | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Absent | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | Absent | |
| Arthur Sinodinos NSW | Absent | |
| National Party (75% turnout) | 3 Yes – 0 No | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Yes | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | Yes | |
| John Williams NSW | Yes | |
| Barry O'Sullivan Queensland | Absent | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Nick Xenophon Team | Absent | |
| Dio Wang WA Palmer United Party | Yes | |
| Stephen Parry Tasmania President | Absent | |
| Totals (61% turnout) | 35 Yes – 11 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.