edited
15th Feb 2024
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Australia's Engagement in the Pacific) Bill 2023 - Second Reading - Fossil fuels
Not passed by a modest majority
No rebellions 52% attendance
14th Nov 2023, 12:42 PM – Senate Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Australia's Engagement in the Pacific) Bill 2023 - Second Reading - Agree with bill's main idea
Summary
EditThe majority voted in favour of a motion to agree with the main idea of the bill (known as giving it a second reading). This means they can now discuss it in greater detail.
What is the bill's main idea?
According to the bills digest:
The Bill will:
provide Pacific engagement visa holders with an exemption to the newly arrived resident’s waiting period for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A, Youth Allowance (student and apprentice) and Austudy
allow Pacific engagement visa holders to access the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) and the Vocational Education and Training student loan (VSL) program and
allow long-term Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers and their families who are in Australia to access FTB Part A, FTB Part B and the Child Care Subsidy.
The Pacific engagement visa is a proposed new permanent visa, with up to 3,000 places allocated each year via a ballot or lottery system. Applicants will need to be citizens of eligible Pacific Island countries or Timor-Leste, and have a job offer in Australia.
The PALM scheme commenced in April 2022 and enables eligible employers to hire workers from participating Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste. In the October 2022–23 Budget, the Government announced a pilot program where a small number of long term PALM scheme workers could bring family members with them.
The measures will enable Pacific engagement visa holders to access FTB Part A immediately on arrival in Australia, and will provide an opportunity for these visa holders (including family members) to take up tertiary studies with the support of student income support payments and student loans. PALM workers will also be able to access family assistance payments, unlike most other temporary visa holders.
The proposed measures will provide Pacific engagement visa holders and long-term PALM workers with access to benefits that many other visa holders either cannot access or must serve long waiting periods before accessing.
Rebellion?
Note that Victorian Senator David Van (Independent) is currently showing up as a rebel voter from the Liberal Party in this division. This is inaccurate, as Senator Van is no longer in the Liberal Party.
Votes Passed by a small majority
There was 1 rebellion in this division.
- David Van voted Yes against the majority of the Liberal Party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (82% turnout) | 9 Yes – 0 No | |
| Penny Allman-Payne Queensland | Yes | |
| Mehreen Faruqi NSW | Yes | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | Yes | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | Yes | |
| Barbara Pocock SA | Yes | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | Yes | |
| David Shoebridge NSW | Yes | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | Yes | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | Yes | |
| Dorinda Cox WA | Absent | |
| Jordon Steele-John WA | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (76% turnout) | 19 Yes – 0 No | |
| Tim Ayres NSW | Yes | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Yes | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | Yes | |
| Raff Ciccone Victoria | Yes | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Yes | |
| Nita Green Queensland | Yes | |
| Karen Grogan SA | Yes | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | Yes | |
| Malarndirri McCarthy NT | Yes | |
| Fatima Payman WA | 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 | |
| Jess Walsh Victoria | Yes | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | Yes | |
| Penny Wong SA | Yes | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Absent | |
| Patrick Dodson WA | Absent | |
| Don Farrell SA | Absent | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | Absent | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Absent | |
| Linda White Victoria | Absent | |
| Jacinta Nampijinpa Price NT Country Liberal Party | Absent | |
| Andrew McLachlan SA Deputy President | No | |
| David Pocock ACT Independent | Yes | |
| Lidia Thorpe Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| David Van Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| Jacqui Lambie Network (100% turnout) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania | Yes | |
| Tammy Tyrrell Tasmania | Yes | |
| Liberal National Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | No | |
| James McGrath Queensland | No | |
| Liberal Party (73% turnout) | 1 Yes – 15 No | |
| David Van Victoria | Yes | |
| Alex Antic SA | No | |
| Andrew Bragg NSW | No | |
| Slade Brockman WA | No | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | No | |
| Claire Chandler Tasmania | No | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | No | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | No | |
| Hollie Hughes NSW | No | |
| Maria Kovacic NSW | No | |
| Matt O'Sullivan WA | No | |
| James Paterson Victoria | No | |
| Gerard Rennick Queensland | No | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | No | |
| Anne Ruston SA | No | |
| Dean Smith WA | No | |
| Wendy Askew Tasmania | Absent | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| David Fawcett SA | Absent | |
| Sarah Henderson Victoria | Absent | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | Absent | |
| Kerrynne Liddle SA | Absent | |
| Paul Scarr Queensland | Absent | |
| National Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 4 No | |
| Ross Cadell NSW | 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 | |
| Sue Lines WA President | Absent | |
| Ralph Babet Victoria United Australia Party | No | |
| Totals (76% turnout) | 32 Yes – 25 No |
Red entries are rebel votes against the majority of a party.
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.