Summary

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by SA Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (Greens), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) Norwegian oil giant, Equinor, plans to drill for oil in the pristine ocean environment of the Great Australian Bight,

(ii) the majority of Australians oppose the plan, recognising that there is no safe way to drill for oil in the remote, rough seas of the Bight and it is not worth the environmental or economic risks, and three out of four South Australians stated in an Advertiser survey, released on 22 November 2019, they would not support it even if it would drive down their fuel prices,

(iii) on 23 November 2019, a National Day of Action was held to Fight for the Bight, which saw more than 10,000 people attend more than 50 events across the country from Exmouth, Western Australia, to Townsville, Queensland, and on some of Australia's most iconic beaches, including Bondi, Manly, Bells Beach, Byron Bay, Margaret River and Currumbin, and

(iv) according to the most recent polling from The Australia Institute, Australians want to see the Great Australian Bight protected, and more than four in five South Australians (84%) support World Heritage protection for the Bight; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) back the calls of the majority of Australians and tell Equinor that they are not welcome here, and

(ii) protect the Great Australian Bight by listing it as a World Heritage site.

Votes Not passed by a modest 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 (60% turnout) 0 Yes 15 No
Tim Ayres NSW No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Raff Ciccone Victoria No
Alex Gallacher SA No
Katy Gallagher ACT No
Nita Green Queensland No
Jenny McAllister NSW No
Malarndirri McCarthy NT No
Louise Pratt WA No
Marielle Smith SA 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
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Absent
Deborah O'Neill NSW Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Tony Sheldon NSW Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Centre Alliance (0% turnout) Absent
Stirling Griff SA Absent
Rex Patrick SA Absent
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party No
Sue Lines WA Deputy President No
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network No
Liberal National Party (0% turnout) Absent
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
James McGrath Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (79% turnout) 0 Yes 22 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Alex Antic SA No
Wendy Askew Tasmania No
Andrew Bragg NSW No
Slade Brockman WA No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Claire Chandler Tasmania No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
David Fawcett SA No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Sarah Henderson Victoria No
Hollie Hughes NSW No
Jim Molan NSW No
Matt O'Sullivan WA No
James Paterson Victoria No
Gerard Rennick Queensland No
Anne Ruston SA No
Paul Scarr Queensland No
Dean Smith WA No
Amanda Stoker Queensland No
David Van Victoria No
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Jane Hume Victoria Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Zed Seselja ACT Absent
National Party (67% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Susan McDonald Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Perin Davey NSW Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (0% turnout) Absent
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria President Absent
Totals (68% turnout) 9 Yes – 43 No