Summary

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The majority voted in favour of a motion to agree with the bill's main idea. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bill for a second time. This means they can now discuss the bill in more detail before deciding on whether to pass the bill in the Senate.

What is the bill's main idea?

According to the bill's digest, the bill was introduced to:

repeal section 19AA, which applies remissions or reductions granted under state or territory laws to federal sentences and impose a consistent regime in every jurisdiction that allows courts to consider periods of compliance with parole obligations when dealing with federal offenders for breaches of parole.

It further explained that:

The Commonwealth does not own or operate any prisons and federal prisoners are housed in state and territory prisons. As of June 2021, 1,151 people were serving federal sentences in prisons across Australia. Prisons located in Victoria accommodated 317 people serving federal sentences as of June 2021 (that is, 27.5% of all persons serving federal sentences). As at 30 June 2020, convicted federal offenders comprised approximately six per cent of Victoria’s total prison population.

[...]

Victoria is currently the only jurisdiction with laws providing significant remissions or reductions that are applicable to federal offenders' sentences. In Victoria these remissions are known as emergency management days (EMDs).

The Bill was prompted by the granting of EMDs in Victoria; however, it will also apply to federal prisoners in any state or territory which makes provisions in the future allowing for the remission or reduction of sentences.

Votes Passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (78% turnout) 0 Yes 7 No
Dorinda Cox WA No
Mehreen Faruqi NSW No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Nick McKim Tasmania No
Janet Rice Victoria No
Lidia Thorpe Victoria No
Larissa Waters Queensland No
Jordon Steele-John WA Absent
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Absent
Australian Labor Party (8% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Jess Walsh Victoria Yes
Tim Ayres NSW Absent
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Absent
Carol Brown Tasmania 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
Karen Grogan SA Absent
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Kimberley Kitching Victoria 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
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Absent
Murray Watt Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance Yes
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Absent
Rex Patrick SA Independent Yes
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network Absent
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland Yes
James McGrath Queensland Yes
Liberal Party (57% turnout) 16 Yes 0 No
Wendy Askew Tasmania Yes
Andrew Bragg NSW Yes
Michaelia Cash WA Yes
Claire Chandler Tasmania Yes
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania Yes
Sarah Henderson Victoria Yes
Hollie Hughes NSW Yes
Jane Hume Victoria Yes
Andrew McLachlan SA Yes
Matt O'Sullivan WA Yes
James Paterson Victoria Yes
Paul Scarr Queensland Yes
Dean Smith WA Yes
Amanda Stoker Queensland Yes
David Van Victoria Yes
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Alex Antic SA Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
David Fawcett SA Absent
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW Absent
Jim Molan NSW Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Gerard Rennick Queensland Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Anne Ruston SA Absent
Zed Seselja ACT Absent
Ben Small WA Absent
National Party (33% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
Perin Davey NSW Yes
Susan McDonald Queensland Absent
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (0% turnout) Absent
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Absent
Slade Brockman WA President Absent
Totals (40% turnout) 23 Yes – 7 No