Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced by Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert (WA), which means it was successful.

Motions like these don't have legal force by themselves. That is, they don't force the Government to act in a particular way. However, they do show the opinion of the Senate on this matter and so can be influential in terms of policy development and perhaps even the drafting of new bills to address this issue.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the adult incarceration rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples increased by 77.4 per cent from 2000 to 2015;

(b) acknowledges the growing incarceration rates of our First Peoples is shameful;

(c) notes the Redfern Statement, which was released in 2016 by over 55 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organisations and peak bodies, sets out a plan for addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' disadvantage;

(d) notes that the Redfern Statement calls for justice targets to help focus the effort to reduce Aboriginal incarceration; and

(e) calls on the Government to listen to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and adopt justice targets as a matter of urgency.

Votes Passed by a small majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives No
Australian Greens (89% turnout) 8 Yes 0 No
Richard Di Natale Victoria Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Scott Ludlam WA Yes
Nick McKim Tasmania Yes
Lee Rhiannon NSW Yes
Janet Rice Victoria Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland 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
Sam Dastyari NSW Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Katy Gallagher ACT Yes
Chris Ketter Queensland Yes
Kimberley Kitching Victoria 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
Lisa Singh Tasmania Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Gavin Marshall Victoria Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party No
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 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 (81% turnout) 0 Yes 17 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Christopher Back WA No
Simon Birmingham SA No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Jane Hume Victoria No
Ian Macdonald Queensland No
James Paterson Victoria No
Marise Payne NSW No
Linda Reynolds WA No
Anne Ruston SA No
Zed Seselja ACT No
Arthur Sinodinos NSW No
George Brandis Queensland Absent
David Fawcett SA Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria Absent
Dean Smith WA 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 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 (0% turnout) Absent
Brian Burston NSW Absent
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Absent
Stephen Parry Tasmania President Absent
Totals (81% turnout) 35 Yes – 25 No