edited
6th Mar 2020
Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019 and another - Second Reading - Migration agents
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 94% attendance
15th Jun 2020, 12:26 PM – Senate Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019 and another - Second Reading - Agree with bills' main idea
Summary
EditThe majority voted in favour of agreeing with the main idea of the bills. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bills for a second time, which means that they can now consider them in more detail.
What is the main idea of the bills?
NSW Senator Marise Payne (Liberal) explained that:
The bills reflect the government's deregulation agenda and its commitment to establishing a world-class migration advice industry, and remove the unnecessary administrative burden of dual regulation of these legal practitioners who are already subject to a strict professional regulatory regime.
According to the bills digest:
The purpose of the Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019 (the Migration Agents Bill) is to amend the Migration Act 1958 in order to deregulate the migration advice industry, in particular to remove lawyers who hold unrestricted practicing certificates from regulation by the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). Lawyers would no longer be able to register as migration agents and would be regulated by the relevant state or territory legal professional body.
The purpose of the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 2019 (the Rates of Charge Bill) is to amend the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Act 1997 (the Charge Act) to ensure that a migration agent who paid the non-commercial registration application charge in relation to their current period of registration, but gives immigration assistance otherwise than on a non-commercial basis, is liable to pay an adjusted charge.
Votes Passed by a modest majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (89% turnout) | 0 Yes – 8 No | |
| Richard Di Natale Victoria | No | |
| Mehreen Faruqi NSW | No | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | No | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | No | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | No | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | No | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | No | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | No | |
| Jordon Steele-John WA | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (16% turnout) | 4 Yes – 0 No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Yes | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Yes | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | Yes | |
| Malarndirri McCarthy NT | Yes | |
| Tim Ayres NSW | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | Absent | |
| Raff Ciccone Victoria | Absent | |
| Patrick Dodson WA | Absent | |
| Don Farrell SA | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Nita Green Queensland | Absent | |
| Kristina Keneally NSW | Absent | |
| Kimberley Kitching Victoria | Absent | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | Absent | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | Absent | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Absent | |
| Louise Pratt WA | Absent | |
| Tony Sheldon NSW | Absent | |
| Marielle Smith SA | Absent | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Absent | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Absent | |
| Jess Walsh Victoria | Absent | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Centre Alliance (50% turnout) | 1 Yes – 0 No | |
| Rex Patrick SA | Yes | |
| Stirling Griff SA | Absent | |
| Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party | Yes | |
| Sue Lines WA Deputy President | Yes | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network | Yes | |
| Liberal National Party (50% turnout) | 1 Yes – 0 No | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Yes | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (72% turnout) | 21 Yes – 0 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Yes | |
| Alex Antic SA | Yes | |
| Wendy Askew Tasmania | Yes | |
| Andrew Bragg NSW | Yes | |
| Slade Brockman WA | Yes | |
| Claire Chandler Tasmania | Yes | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | Yes | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Yes | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | Yes | |
| Andrew McLachlan SA | Yes | |
| Jim Molan NSW | Yes | |
| Matt O'Sullivan WA | Yes | |
| James Paterson Victoria | Yes | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Yes | |
| Gerard Rennick Queensland | Yes | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Yes | |
| Paul Scarr Queensland | Yes | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | Yes | |
| Dean Smith WA | Yes | |
| Amanda Stoker Queensland | Yes | |
| David Van Victoria | Yes | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Absent | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | Absent | |
| David Fawcett SA | Absent | |
| Sarah Henderson Victoria | Absent | |
| Hollie Hughes NSW | Absent | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Absent | |
| National Party (100% turnout) | 3 Yes – 0 No | |
| Perin Davey NSW | Yes | |
| Susan McDonald Queensland | Yes | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Yes | |
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Pauline Hanson Queensland | Yes | |
| Malcolm Roberts Queensland | Yes | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria President | Absent | |
| Totals (57% turnout) | 35 Yes – 8 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.