Summary

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The majority voted in favour of keeping items 5, 8 to 17 and 64 and part 4 of schedule 1 unchanged. In parliamentary jargon, they voted for those items to stand as printed.

These items were opposed by One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson (Qld) and they related to who counted as a religious marriage celebrant (as opposed to civil celebrant) and what that meant for the application of anti-discrimination laws. Senator Hanson argued that:

The difference in definition between religious marriage celebrants and civil marriage celebrants is unnecessary. If a marriage celebrant wants to refuse to solemnise a marriage, they should be entitled to do so without recrimination.

Why did some Liberals vote Yes and others No?

The Liberal Party was split on this issue, with some voting Yes and others voting No. This split within the party is unusual but, given the nature of the subject matter of the vote, the Liberal Party decided to run this as a free vote, meaning that its members could vote however they chose rather than having to vote along party lines.

What does this bill do?

This bill will allow same-sex couples to marry under Australian law. However, it will also:

enable ministers of religion, religious marriage celebrants, chaplains and bodies established for religious purposes to refuse to solemnise or provide facilities, goods and services for marriages on religious grounds; and make amendments ... to provide that a refusal by a minister of religion, religious marriage celebrant or chaplain to solemnise marriage in prescribed circumstances does not constitute unlawful discrimination.

Read more in the bills digest.

Votes Passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives No
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 9 Yes 0 No
Andrew Bartlett Queensland Yes
Richard Di Natale Victoria Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Nick McKim Tasmania Yes
Lee Rhiannon NSW Yes
Janet Rice Victoria Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Jordon Steele-John WA Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Australian Labor Party (72% turnout) 18 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
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
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Penny Wong SA Yes
Sam Dastyari NSW Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Don Farrell SA Absent
Alex Gallacher SA Absent
Katy Gallagher ACT Absent
Gavin Marshall Victoria Absent
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Derryn Hinch Victoria Derryn Hinch's Justice Party Yes
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Yes
Lucy Gichuhi SA Independent Absent
David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party No
Liberal National Party (50% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
James McGrath Queensland No
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (70% turnout) 5 Yes 9 No
Simon Birmingham SA Yes
Jane Hume Victoria Yes
Marise Payne NSW Yes
Linda Reynolds WA Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Ian Macdonald Queensland No
James Paterson Victoria No
Anne Ruston SA No
Zed Seselja ACT No
George Brandis Queensland Absent
Slade Brockman WA Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
David Fawcett SA Absent
Mitch Fifield Victoria Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (33% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
Barry O'Sullivan Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Absent
John Williams NSW Absent
Nick Xenophon Team (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Stirling Griff SA Yes
Rex Patrick SA Yes
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 4 No
Fraser Anning Queensland No
Brian Burston NSW No
Peter Georgiou WA No
Pauline Hanson Queensland No
Scott Ryan Victoria President Absent
Totals (74% turnout) 36 Yes – 17 No