Summary

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The majority voted in favour of passing the bill in the Senate. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read it for a third time. Because the bill has already been passed in the House of Representatives, it will now become law.

What does this bill do?

According to the bills digest, the bill:

... proposes to amend the war crimes offences ... to address some anomalies in the treatment of acts done in the course of a ‘non‑international armed conflict’ with the requirements of international humanitarian law (IHL). These anomalies ... are said to limit the capability of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to undertake international security operations, and may expose members of the ADF to domestic criminal liability despite acting in compliance with the requirements of IHL.

Why didn't the Greens support the bill?

Only the senators from the Australian Greens Party voted against this bill. Tasmanian Greens Senator Nick McKim explained why during his second reading speech. Here's part of what he said:

I think all of us in this chamber would agree it is vitally important to make sure we are all on the same page on what constitutes a war crime in this changing environment and to make sure that our understanding is aligned with international law. Unfortunately, as we have seen so often, the government has fluffed this legislation. In particular, the Attorney-General has fluffed it, which is unsurprising, given his record of political fluffing. In seeking to provide clarity for the ADF, the government has, as it often does, gone too far. Backed by the ALP, it is proposing to weaken safeguards that protect civilians when our forces are involved in overseas conflicts. This is irresponsible and it is negligent. It fails the Australian people, it fails the ADF and, perhaps most importantly of all, it fails innocent civilians who may be caught up in overseas conflict and who, if this bill passes, will be even more vulnerable and at risk of injury and death.

Votes Passed by a large majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (89% turnout) 0 Yes 8 No
Richard Di Natale Victoria No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Nick McKim Tasmania No
Lee Rhiannon NSW No
Janet Rice Victoria No
Rachel Siewert WA No
Larissa Waters Queensland No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Scott Ludlam WA Absent
Australian Labor Party (88% turnout) 22 Yes 0 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Yes
Jacinta Collins Victoria Yes
Patrick Dodson WA Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Katy Gallagher ACT Yes
Chris Ketter Queensland Yes
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Yes
Sue Lines WA Yes
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Yes
Claire Moore Queensland Yes
Deborah O'Neill NSW Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Sam Dastyari NSW Absent
Gavin Marshall Victoria Absent
Lisa Singh Tasmania Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Yes
Derryn Hinch Victoria Derryn Hinch's Justice Party Yes
Gavin Marshall Victoria Deputy President Yes
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Absent
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Independent Yes
David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party Absent
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland Yes
James McGrath Queensland Yes
Liberal Party (91% turnout) 20 Yes 0 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Yes
Christopher Back WA Yes
Simon Birmingham SA Yes
George Brandis Queensland Yes
David Bushby Tasmania Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Mathias Cormann WA Yes
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania Yes
David Fawcett SA Yes
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Yes
Mitch Fifield Victoria Yes
Jane Hume Victoria Yes
James Paterson Victoria Yes
Marise Payne NSW 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
Cory Bernardi SA Absent
Ian Macdonald Queensland Absent
National Party (50% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Yes
John Williams NSW Yes
Fiona Nash NSW Absent
Barry O'Sullivan Queensland Absent
Nick Xenophon Team (100% turnout) 3 Yes 0 No
Stirling Griff SA Yes
Skye Kakoschke-Moore SA Yes
Nick Xenophon SA Yes
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) 4 Yes 0 No
Brian Burston NSW Yes
Rod Culleton WA Yes
Pauline Hanson Queensland Yes
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Yes
Stephen Parry Tasmania President Yes
Totals (88% turnout) 58 Yes – 8 No