Summary

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Tasmanian Senator Peter Whish-Wilson (Greens), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate notes:

(a) the Robbins Passage - Boullanger Bay wetlands complex in Tasmania has been repeatedly assessed as being of global significance, including by the International Union for Conservation of Nature;

(b) these wetlands are a critical part of the global flyway that stretches from Australia through eastern Asia to north of the Arctic Circle in Siberia, and support numerous rare and critically endangered bird species;

(c) these wetlands fulfil criteria for eligibility to be listed under the Ramsar Convention to protect wetlands of international significance;

(d) previous attempts to have this area Ramsar listed were supported by the Federal Government, however, were not progressed by the Tasmanian state government due to opposition from a few local landowners, who are potential financial beneficiaries of proposed developments in the area;

(e) in their EPBC submission, proponents of the UPC wind farm noted their project 'will potentially intersect the nationally important Boulanger Bay - Robbins Passage wetland' but that the wetlands 'are not matters of national environmental significance for the purposes of environmental approvals'; and

(f) if Ramsar listed, the area must be reviewed under any EPBC assessment.

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (89% turnout) 8 Yes 0 No
Mehreen Faruqi NSW Yes
Nick McKim Tasmania Yes
Janet Rice Victoria Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Jordon Steele-John WA Yes
Lidia Thorpe Victoria Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Absent
Australian Labor Party (24% turnout) 0 Yes 6 No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Alex Gallacher SA No
Kimberley Kitching Victoria No
Jenny McAllister NSW No
Glenn Sterle WA No
Anne Urquhart Tasmania No
Tim Ayres NSW Absent
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Absent
Carol Brown Tasmania 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
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Absent
Deborah O'Neill NSW Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Louise Pratt WA Absent
Tony Sheldon NSW Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Jess Walsh Victoria Absent
Murray Watt Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance Absent
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party No
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Absent
Rex Patrick SA Independent Absent
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network Absent
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland No
James McGrath Queensland No
Liberal Party (76% turnout) 0 Yes 22 No
Alex Antic SA No
Wendy Askew Tasmania No
Andrew Bragg NSW 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
Jane Hume Victoria No
Andrew McLachlan SA 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
Ben Small WA 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
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Zed Seselja ACT 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 (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Pauline Hanson Queensland No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland No
Scott Ryan Victoria President No
Totals (59% turnout) 8 Yes – 37 No