edited
10th Nov 2023
Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill 2023 - Second Reading - Agree with the bill's main idea
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 55% attendance
13th Nov 2023, 6:32 PM – Senate Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill 2023 - Third Reading - Pass the bill
Summary
EditThe majority voted in favour of a motion to read the bill for a third time. This means that they agreed to pass the bill in the Senate. Because the bill has already passed in the House of Representatives, it will now become law.
What is the bill's main idea?
According to the bills digest, the key points on the bill are that:
Australia is a party to the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London Protocol). The London Protocol aims to promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and take practical steps to prevent pollution of the sea by the dumping of wastes and other matter.
The London Protocol is administered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialised agency of the United Nations.
The London Protocol is implemented in Australia by the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 (Sea Dumping Act). However, certain activities, including sub-seabed sequestration of greenhouse gases, are also regulated by the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (OPGGS Act) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
The Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill 2023 proposes to amend the Sea Dumping Act to implement 2009 and 2013 amendments to the London Protocol to:
allow for the issue of permits for the export of carbon dioxide streams from carbon dioxide capture processes for the purpose of sequestration into a sub-seabed geological formations
allow for the issue of permits for the placement of wastes or other material for a marine geoengineering activity for the purpose of scientific research.
The commencement of the provisions would be dependent on the deposit of ratification, and in the case of the 2009 amendment, further steps as outlined in this Digest.
The amendments to the London Protocol were subject to a House Standing Committee inquiry and have also been referred to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee.
Votes Passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (82% turnout) | 0 Yes – 9 No | |
| Penny Allman-Payne Queensland | No | |
| Mehreen Faruqi NSW | No | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | No | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | No | |
| Barbara Pocock SA | No | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | No | |
| David Shoebridge NSW | No | |
| Jordon Steele-John WA | No | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | No | |
| Dorinda Cox WA | Absent | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (64% turnout) | 16 Yes – 0 No | |
| Tim Ayres NSW | Yes | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | Yes | |
| Raff Ciccone Victoria | Yes | |
| Nita Green Queensland | Yes | |
| Karen Grogan SA | Yes | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | Yes | |
| Malarndirri McCarthy NT | Yes | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | Yes | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Yes | |
| Louise Pratt WA | Yes | |
| Tony Sheldon NSW | Yes | |
| Marielle Smith SA | Yes | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Yes | |
| Jana Stewart Victoria | Yes | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Yes | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | Yes | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Absent | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Absent | |
| Patrick Dodson WA | Absent | |
| Don Farrell SA | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Fatima Payman WA | Absent | |
| Jess Walsh Victoria | Absent | |
| Linda White Victoria | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Jacinta Nampijinpa Price NT Country Liberal Party | Absent | |
| Andrew McLachlan SA Deputy President | Absent | |
| David Pocock ACT Independent | No | |
| Lidia Thorpe Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| David Van Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| Jacqui Lambie Network (50% turnout) | 0 Yes – 1 No | |
| Tammy Tyrrell Tasmania | No | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania | Absent | |
| Liberal National Party (0% turnout) | Absent | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Absent | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (18% turnout) | 4 Yes – 0 No | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Yes | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | Yes | |
| Matt O'Sullivan WA | Yes | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Yes | |
| Alex Antic SA | Absent | |
| Wendy Askew Tasmania | Absent | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| Andrew Bragg NSW | Absent | |
| Slade Brockman WA | Absent | |
| Claire Chandler Tasmania | Absent | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Absent | |
| David Fawcett SA | Absent | |
| Sarah Henderson Victoria | Absent | |
| Hollie Hughes NSW | Absent | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | Absent | |
| Maria Kovacic NSW | Absent | |
| Kerrynne Liddle SA | Absent | |
| James Paterson Victoria | Absent | |
| Gerard Rennick Queensland | Absent | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Absent | |
| Paul Scarr Queensland | Absent | |
| Dean Smith WA | Absent | |
| National Party (25% turnout) | 1 Yes – 0 No | |
| Ross Cadell NSW | Yes | |
| Perin Davey NSW | Absent | |
| Susan McDonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Absent | |
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Pauline Hanson Queensland | No | |
| Malcolm Roberts Queensland | No | |
| Sue Lines WA President | Absent | |
| Ralph Babet Victoria United Australia Party | No | |
| Totals (47% turnout) | 21 Yes – 14 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.