Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion to pass the bills. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bills for a third time.

What do these bills do?

These bills were introduced to target foreign influence in Australia by creating a new transparency scheme and introducing a series of new offences targeting things like sabotage, treason and espionage.

Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Bill 2018

This bill was introduced to establish the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme to, which will:

  • require registration by certain people undertaking certain activities on behalf of a foreign principal;
  • require registrants to disclose information about the nature of their relationship with the foreign principal and activities undertaken pursuant to that relationship;
  • place additional disclosure requirements on registrants during elections and other voting periods;
  • establish a register of scheme information and provide for certain information to be made publicly available;
  • provide the secretary with powers to obtain information and documents; and
  • establish various penalties for non-compliance with the scheme.

Read more in the bills digest.

National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Bill 2018

This bill was introduced to:

  • amend existing, and introduce new, espionage offences relating to a broad range of dealings with information, including solicitation and preparation and planning offences;
  • introduce new offences relating to foreign interference with Australia’s political, governmental or democratic processes;
  • replace the existing sabotage offence with new sabotage offences relating to conduct causing damage to a broad range of critical infrastructure that could prejudice Australia’s national security;
  • introduce a new offence relating to theft of trade secrets on behalf of a foreign government;
  • amend existing, and introduce new, offences relating to treason and other threats to national security, such as interference with Australian democratic or political rights by conduct involving the use of force, violence or intimidation; and
  • introduce a new aggravated offence where a person provides false or misleading information relating to an application for, or maintenance of, an Australian Government security clearance.

Read more in the bills digest.

Votes Passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives Absent
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 0 Yes 9 No
Andrew Bartlett Queensland 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
Jordon Steele-John WA No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Australian Labor Party (76% turnout) 19 Yes 0 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Yes
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Yes
Jacinta Collins Victoria Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Kristina Keneally NSW Yes
Chris Ketter Queensland Yes
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Yes
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT 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
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Penny Wong SA Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Don Farrell SA Absent
Gavin Marshall Victoria Absent
Claire Moore Queensland Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Centre Alliance (0% turnout) Absent
Stirling Griff SA Absent
Rex Patrick SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Derryn Hinch Victoria Derryn Hinch's Justice Party No
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Absent
Lucy Gichuhi SA Independent Yes
Steve Martin Tasmania Independent Yes
Tim Storer SA Independent No
Fraser Anning Queensland Katter's Australian Party Absent
David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party No
Liberal National Party (50% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland Yes
James McGrath Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (61% turnout) 14 Yes 0 No
Simon Birmingham SA Yes
Slade Brockman WA Yes
David Bushby Tasmania Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania Yes
David Fawcett SA Yes
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Yes
Jane Hume Victoria Yes
Ian Macdonald Queensland Yes
Jim Molan NSW Yes
James Paterson Victoria Yes
Zed Seselja ACT Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Amanda Stoker Queensland Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Mitch Fifield Victoria Absent
Lucy Gichuhi SA Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Anne Ruston SA Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (33% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
John Williams NSW Yes
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Absent
Barry O'Sullivan Queensland Absent
Nick Xenophon Team (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Stirling Griff SA Yes
Rex Patrick SA Yes
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (0% turnout) Absent
Peter Georgiou WA Absent
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria President Absent
Brian Burston NSW United Australia Party Absent
Totals (67% turnout) 39 Yes – 12 No