Summary

Edit

The majority voted to agree to amendments (2) to (8) on sheet TK264 and (1) and (2) on sheet TK265, which means they succeeded. These amendments related to income management in the Northern Territory.

SA Senator Anne Ruston (Liberal) explained that:

This amendment seeks to make the transition from the income management scheme in the Northern Territory, from the BasicsCard to the cashless debit card, a voluntary scheme. It will allow those people who are currently on the BasicsCard in the Northern Territory who wish to transition to the cashless debit card to do so as a voluntary scheme. If they choose to remain on the BasicsCard they will also be able to do that.

Though SA Senator Penny Wong (Labor) argued that:

I just want to take issue with one of the things the minister said, because she asserted that this would somehow make this all voluntary. Well, it won't. The amendment will effectively make it a Hobson's choice between a grey card and a green card. So Labor isn't supporting the government's amendment, because it isn't making income management voluntary. What it is doing is simply providing a choice of a different coloured piece of plastic.

More about the bill

The bill was introduced "to establish the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) as an ongoing program rather than a time-limited trial". The CDC program is controversial for many reasons, not least the limited evidence that it is benefiting the communities where it is currently in operation.

Read more about the program and what the bill does in the bills digest.

Votes Passed by a small majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 0 Yes 9 No
Mehreen Faruqi NSW No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Nick McKim Tasmania No
Janet Rice Victoria No
Rachel Siewert WA No
Jordon Steele-John WA No
Lidia Thorpe Victoria No
Larissa Waters Queensland No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Australian Labor Party (84% turnout) 0 Yes 21 No
Tim Ayres NSW No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania No
Anthony Chisholm Queensland No
Raff Ciccone Victoria No
Patrick Dodson WA No
Don Farrell SA No
Alex Gallacher SA No
Nita Green Queensland No
Kristina Keneally NSW No
Kimberley Kitching Victoria No
Jenny McAllister NSW No
Malarndirri McCarthy NT No
Deborah O'Neill NSW No
Helen Polley Tasmania 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
Penny Wong SA No
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Kim Carr Victoria Absent
Katy Gallagher ACT Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance Absent
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party Yes
Sue Lines WA Deputy President No
Rex Patrick SA Independent Yes
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network No
Liberal National Party (50% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
James McGrath Queensland Yes
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (90% turnout) 26 Yes 0 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Yes
Alex Antic SA Yes
Wendy Askew Tasmania Yes
Simon Birmingham SA Yes
Andrew Bragg NSW Yes
Slade Brockman WA Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Claire Chandler Tasmania Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania Yes
David Fawcett SA Yes
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Yes
Sarah Henderson Victoria 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
Linda Reynolds WA Yes
Anne Ruston SA Yes
Paul Scarr Queensland Yes
Ben Small WA Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Amanda Stoker Queensland Yes
David Van Victoria Yes
Hollie Hughes NSW Absent
Gerard Rennick Queensland Absent
Zed Seselja ACT 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 Yes
Totals (88% turnout) 35 Yes – 32 No