Summary

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Queensland Senator Larissa Waters (Greens), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Morrison Government is pushing for a 'gas led recovery', which is expected to increase gas extraction across Australia,

(ii) Australia's largest insurance company, Insurance Australia Group, has announced that it will no longer provide liability cover for farmers with coal seam gas (CSG) infrastructure on their property,

(iii) landholders, including farmers and First Nations peoples, have consistently raised concerns regarding the risks that unconventional gas poses to land, water and the climate, and farmers are concerned that loss of insurance cover exposes them to additional liability for those risks,

(iv) on Q&A on 1 June 2020, Senator Matt Canavan said in relation to gas and farmers' rights: "I think we've got the balance wrong in this country. We don't give farmers enough rights ... I've been to some of those landowners and I've sat with them, having cups of tea. And there was not a lot of voluntary participation in lots of the [gas access] agreements", and

(v) the Greens have proposed a number of bills since 2011 to give landholders, including farmers and First Nations peoples, the right to say no to unconventional gas and coal mining on their land, which the Liberal, Labor and National parties have consistently voted against; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to require gas companies to hold:

(i) public liability insurance coverage over any land where they have CSG infrastructure, and

(ii) comprehensive insurance coverage for environmental damage on that land.

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (89% turnout) 8 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
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Jordon Steele-John WA Absent
Australian Labor Party (36% turnout) 0 Yes 9 No
Tim Ayres NSW No
Carol Brown Tasmania No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Don Farrell SA No
Alex Gallacher SA No
Katy Gallagher ACT No
Kimberley Kitching Victoria No
Deborah O'Neill NSW No
Anne Urquhart Tasmania No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Absent
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Absent
Raff Ciccone Victoria Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Nita Green Queensland Absent
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Jenny McAllister NSW Absent
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Louise Pratt WA Absent
Tony Sheldon NSW Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Glenn Sterle WA 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 No
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Absent
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network No
Liberal National Party (0% turnout) Absent
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
James McGrath Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (62% turnout) 0 Yes 18 No
Alex Antic SA No
Wendy Askew Tasmania No
Andrew Bragg NSW No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
David Fawcett SA No
Hollie Hughes NSW No
Jane Hume Victoria No
Andrew McLachlan SA No
Jim Molan NSW No
James Paterson Victoria No
Gerard Rennick Queensland 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
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Slade Brockman WA Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Claire Chandler Tasmania Absent
Mathias Cormann WA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Sarah Henderson Victoria Absent
Matt O'Sullivan WA Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
National Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 3 No
Perin Davey NSW No
Susan McDonald Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (50% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland No
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria President Absent
Totals (55% turnout) 9 Yes – 33 No