Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced by Queensland Senator Larissa Waters (Greens), which means it passed.

Motion text

(1) That the Senate—

(a) notes that current and previous Prime Ministers' Statements of Ministerial Standards clearly provide that ministers must act with honesty and integrity in all their activities, in particular, ministers must:

(i) make arrangements to avoid conflicts arising from their private interests, also having regard to interests held by family members (paragraphs 2.9 and 2.17), and

(ii) not use public office for private purposes (paragraph 2.2);

(b) further notes with deep concern recent reports in The Guardian that:

(i) while Jam Land Pty Ltd, a company part-owned by Mr Angus Taylor MP and his brother, was under investigation by the Department of the Environment for alleged unlawful destruction of critically-endangered grasslands, Minister Taylor met with Department of the Environment staff,

(ii) an investigator from the office responsible for investigating the clearing allegations attended at least one meeting between Minister Taylor and departmental staff, and

(iii) the former Minister for the Environment, Mr Josh Frydenberg, was approached by Mr Angus Taylor in relation to the critically-endangered listing of the grassland species, and Minister Frydenberg subsequently sought advice about his powers to amend the critically-endangered listing;

(c) is of the opinion that there are serious questions about whether this conduct complies with the Ministerial Standards; and

(d) requires that the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Cormann) attend the Senate at 12.00 pm on 23 July 2019 to explain, for a period not longer than 10 minutes:

(i) the conduct of Ministers Taylor and Frydenberg and how it is not a breach of the Ministerial Standards, and

(ii) whether any investigation has been, or will be, undertaken into the conduct of Ministers Taylor and Frydenberg.

(2) That, at the conclusion of the Minister's explanation, any senator may, without notice, move a motion to take note of the Minister's explanation.

(3) That any motion under paragraph (2) may be debated for no longer than 1 hour, and have precedence over all government business until determined, and senators may speak to the motion for not more than 10 minutes

Votes Passed by a small majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives No
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 (88% turnout) 22 Yes 0 No
Tim Ayres NSW Yes
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Yes
Raff Ciccone Victoria Yes
Patrick Dodson WA Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Katy Gallagher ACT Yes
Nita Green Queensland Yes
Kristina Keneally NSW Yes
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Yes
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Yes
Deborah O'Neill NSW Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Tony Sheldon NSW Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Jess Walsh Victoria Yes
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Penny Wong SA Yes
Don Farrell SA Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Centre Alliance (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Stirling Griff SA Yes
Rex Patrick SA Yes
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party No
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Yes
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network Yes
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland No
James McGrath Queensland No
Liberal Party (89% turnout) 0 Yes 25 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Alex Antic SA No
Wendy Askew Tasmania No
Simon Birmingham SA No
Andrew Bragg NSW No
Slade Brockman WA No
Claire Chandler Tasmania No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
David Fawcett SA No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Hollie Hughes NSW No
Jane Hume Victoria No
Matt O'Sullivan WA No
James Paterson Victoria No
Marise Payne NSW No
Gerard Rennick Queensland No
Linda Reynolds WA No
Anne Ruston SA No
Paul Scarr Queensland No
Zed Seselja ACT No
Dean Smith WA No
Amanda Stoker Queensland No
David Van Victoria No
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Arthur Sinodinos NSW Absent
National Party (67% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Perin Davey NSW No
Susan McDonald Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (50% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Yes
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria President No
Totals (89% turnout) 36 Yes – 32 No