1st Dec 2022, 7:43 PM – Senate Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 - in Committee - Approval and importation of drugs

The majority voted against an amendment that would have added the words below to an original motion, which means the original motion will remain unchanged. The amendment was introduced by Tasmanian Senator Jonathon Duniam (Liberal).

Original motion

That the report from the committee be adopted.

This means that the changes agreed to by the committee would be agreed to and adopted by the Senate.

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add “, but the Senate is of the opinion that if this bill is passed, the Government should ensure that:

(a) any drug intended for the use of ending human life requires the approval of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, by seeking to amend the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 so that there is no capacity for exemptions from the provisions of Parts 3-2 and 3-2A of the Act to be granted in relation to such drugs; and

(b) the importation of any drug intended for the use of ending human life is prohibited and that no regulation is made under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 to provide for the granting of a licence or permission to import any such drug”.

Why are the major parties split on how to vote?

This was a free vote (also known as a conscience vote), which means our senators voted according to their own beliefs rather than voting along party lines.