All changes made to the description and title of this division.

View division | Edit description

Change Division
senate vote 2020-11-12#7

Edited by mackay staff

on 2020-11-20 11:15:58

Title

  • Motions Australian Languages
  • Motions - Australian Languages - Role of English in Australia

Description

  • <p class="speaker">Lidia Thorpe</p>
  • <p>I, and on behalf of Senators Faruqi, McKim and Rice, move:</p>
  • <p class="italic">That the Senate agrees that:</p>
  • The same number of senators voted for and against an [amended motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2020-11-12.55.2) introduced by Victorian Senator [Lidia Thorpe](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/victoria/lidia_thorpe) (Greens), which means it failed.
  • ### Motion text
  • > *That the Senate agrees that:*
  • >
  • > *(a) Australia is a multicultural, multilingual society in which hundreds of languages are spoken;*
  • >
  • > *(b) at least 250 Indigenous languages were spoken on this continent long before colonisation, and many continue to be spoken today;*
  • >
  • > *(c) the Australian citizenship booklet 'Our common bond' contains claims that English is Australia's national language, which have been repeated by the acting Immigration Minister in advocating for onerous new English language proficiency requirements for partner visa applicants and permanent resident sponsors; and*
  • >
  • > *(d) English is the de facto national language but Australians speak many languages at home and at work.*
  • <p class="italic">(a) Australia is a multicultural, multilingual society in which hundreds of languages are spoken;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(b) at least 250 Indigenous languages were spoken on this continent long before colonisation, and many continue to be spoken today;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(c) the Australian citizenship booklet 'Our common bond' contains claims that English is Australia's national language, which have been repeated by the acting Immigration Minister in advocating for onerous new English language proficiency requirements for partner visa applicants and permanent resident sponsors; and</p>
  • <p class="italic">(d) Australia has no national language.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Anne Urquhart</p>
  • <p>by leave&#8212;I move the amendment as circulated in the chamber in the name of Senator Keneally:</p>
  • <p class="italic">Omit paragraph (d), substitute:</p>
  • <p class="italic">(d) English is the de facto national language but Australians speak many languages at home and at work.</p>
  • <p>Question agreed to.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p>
  • <p>The question is that motion No. 859, as amended, be agreed to.</p>