Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced by WA Senator Jordon Steele-John (Greens), which means it succeeded. Motions like these don't make legal changes on their own, but they are politically influential because they represent the will of the Senate.

Motion text

(1) That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) despite the hard-won progress of the disability rights movement, disabled Australians continue to be subjected to discrimination and are routinely denied the right guaranteed them under international law,

(ii) this discrimination creates and sustains the barriers to employment, education, transport, social and political participation experienced by disabled Australians and, most concerning, manifests itself in horrific violence, abuse and neglect to which they are subjected, and

(iii) from July to September 2018, over 184 incidents of abuse and neglect were reported to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the Commission) – the Commission has also released data that shows in the same three months it received 62 reports of expected and unexpected deaths, 91 reports of injuries, 34 complaints against individual staff or service providers and 75 cases of unauthorised restrictive practices; and

(b) calls on the Government to request His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia issue Letter Patent to establish a royal commission to inquire into violence, abuse and neglect of people with a disability.

(2) That a message be sent to the House of Representatives seeking its concurrence in this resolution.

Votes Passed by a small majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives Absent
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 9 Yes 0 No
Richard Di Natale Victoria Yes
Mehreen Faruqi NSW Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Nick McKim Tasmania Yes
Janet Rice Victoria Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Jordon Steele-John WA Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Australian Labor Party (80% turnout) 20 Yes 0 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania 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
Gavin Marshall Victoria Yes
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Yes
Deborah O'Neill NSW Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Lisa Singh Tasmania Yes
David Smith ACT Yes
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Absent
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Absent
Claire Moore Queensland Absent
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Centre Alliance (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Stirling Griff SA Yes
Rex Patrick SA Yes
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
Steve Martin Tasmania Independent No
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 (91% turnout) 0 Yes 20 No
Simon Birmingham SA No
Slade Brockman WA 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
Lucy Gichuhi SA 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
Arthur Sinodinos NSW No
Dean Smith WA No
Amanda Stoker Queensland No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
National Party (67% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Barry O'Sullivan Queensland No
John Williams NSW Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Peter Georgiou WA No
Pauline Hanson Queensland No
Scott Ryan Victoria President No
Brian Burston NSW United Australia Party Yes
Totals (87% turnout) 35 Yes – 30 No