Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced by Greens Senator Nick McKim, which means it succeeded. Motions like these don’t make any legal changes by themselves, but they can be politically influential because they represent the will of the Senate.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) Wednesday, 20 June 2018 is World Refugee Day 2018;

(ii) yesterday, on 19 June, the UNHCR reported that 68.5 million people around the world had been forcibly displaced from their homes by the end of 2017,

(iii) the UNHCR has also previously reported an annual average of 21.5 million people forcibly displaced by weather-related sudden onset hazards – such as floods, storms, wildfires, extreme temperature – each year since 2008, and

(iv) in 2016:

(A) Australia offered protection to 0.28 per cent of people seeking asylum around the world, and

(B) Australia assisted 1.43 per cent of the 2.5 million refugees who had their status recognised or were resettled worldwide; and

(b) agrees that refugees have contributed significantly to Australian communities and our multicultural society, and supports Australia showing global leadership in settling and supporting refugees.

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
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
Andrew Bartlett 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
Patrick Dodson WA Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Kristina Keneally NSW Yes
Chris Ketter Queensland Yes
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Yes
Gavin Marshall Victoria Yes
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Yes
Claire Moore Queensland Yes
Deborah O'Neill NSW Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Lisa Singh Tasmania Yes
David Smith ACT Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Murray Watt Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Centre Alliance (0% turnout) Absent
Stirling Griff SA Absent
Rex Patrick SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party No
Derryn Hinch Victoria Derryn Hinch's Justice Party Yes
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Yes
Tim Storer SA Independent Yes
Fraser Anning Queensland Independent No
Lucy Gichuhi SA Independent No
Steve Martin Tasmania Independent No
Fraser Anning Queensland Katter's Australian Party 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 (83% turnout) 0 Yes 19 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Simon Birmingham SA No
Slade Brockman WA No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
David Fawcett SA No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Jane Hume Victoria No
Ian Macdonald Queensland No
Jim Molan NSW No
James Paterson Victoria No
Marise Payne NSW No
Linda Reynolds WA No
Anne Ruston SA No
Zed Seselja ACT No
Dean Smith WA No
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Lucy Gichuhi SA Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
Amanda Stoker Queensland Absent
National Party (67% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Barry O'Sullivan Queensland No
John Williams NSW No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria 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 2 No
Brian Burston NSW No
Peter Georgiou WA No
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria President No
Brian Burston NSW United Australia Party Absent
Totals (87% turnout) 35 Yes – 31 No