Summary

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The majority voted against amendments introduced by SA Senator Rex Patrick (Centre Alliance), which means it failed.

Senator Patrick explained that:

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Bill 2019 opens up court-ordered divestitures for electricity retailers, to deal with misconduct. Once you accept the principle that it's relevant to one sector of the economy, you must then accept that it should apply to all sectors of the economy—anywhere where monopoly power or substantial market power exists and is being misused. That's what the Centre Alliance amendments do. They seek to enhance the bill to ensure that divestiture provisions apply universally across all Australian markets participating within the economy. This means that any business that engages in egregious market misconduct may be subject to having their business interests forcibly disposed of by a court.

What is the bill's main idea?

The bill was introduced "to implement a legislative framework consisting of new prohibitions and remedies in relation to electricity retail, contract and wholesale markets." You can learn more about these new prohibitions and remedies in the bills digest.

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives Absent
Australian Greens (89% turnout) 8 Yes 0 No
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
Richard Di Natale Victoria Absent
Australian Labor Party (56% turnout) 0 Yes 14 No
Tim Ayres NSW No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Raff Ciccone Victoria No
Alex Gallacher SA No
Nita Green Queensland No
Kimberley Kitching Victoria No
Jenny McAllister NSW No
Louise Pratt WA No
Tony Sheldon NSW No
Glenn Sterle WA No
Anne Urquhart Tasmania No
Jess Walsh Victoria No
Murray Watt Queensland No
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Don Farrell SA Absent
Katy Gallagher ACT Absent
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Absent
Deborah O'Neill NSW Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Penny Wong 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 Absent
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network Yes
Liberal National Party (0% turnout) Absent
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
James McGrath Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (71% turnout) 0 Yes 20 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Alex Antic SA No
Wendy Askew Tasmania 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
Sarah Henderson Victoria No
Hollie Hughes NSW No
Matt O'Sullivan WA No
James Paterson Victoria No
Gerard Rennick Queensland No
Paul Scarr Queensland No
Zed Seselja ACT No
Dean Smith WA No
Amanda Stoker Queensland No
David Van Victoria No
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Jane Hume Victoria Absent
Jim Molan NSW Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Anne Ruston SA 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 (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Pauline Hanson Queensland No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland No
Scott Ryan Victoria President Absent
Totals (66% turnout) 11 Yes – 39 No