Summary

Edit

The majority voted in favour of a motion to pass the bill. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bill for a third time.

What does this bill do?

According to the explanatory memorandum (which is a document prepared by the government):

The Governor-General Amendment (Salary) Bill 2024 amends the Governor-General Act 1974 to set the salary for the next Governor-General, Ms Samantha Mostyn AC, prior to her swearing-in on 1 July 2024.

Section 3 of the Constitution provides that the salary of the Governor-General shall not be altered during their continuance in office. The Bill amends the Governor-General Act to change the sum payable for the salary of the Governor-General from $495,000 to $709,017.

In line with past practice, the proposed salary is calculated by reference to the estimated average salary of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia over the notional five-year term of the appointment of the Governor-General. Where, in the past, a Governor-General has been the recipient of other Commonwealth entitlements - such as a judicial pension - the annual salary has been adjusted accordingly. Ms Mostyn is not a recipient of any such entitlements.

Votes Passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (91% turnout) 0 Yes 10 No
Penny Allman-Payne Queensland No
Dorinda Cox WA No
Mehreen Faruqi NSW No
Sarah Hanson-Young SA No
Steph Hodgins-May Victoria No
Nick McKim Tasmania No
David Shoebridge NSW No
Jordon Steele-John WA No
Larissa Waters Queensland No
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania No
Barbara Pocock SA Absent
Australian Labor Party (84% turnout) 21 Yes 0 No
Tim Ayres NSW Yes
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Yes
Raff Ciccone Victoria Yes
Lisa Darmanin Victoria Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
Varun Ghosh WA Yes
Nita Green Queensland Yes
Karen Grogan SA Yes
Jenny McAllister NSW Yes
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Yes
Deborah O'Neill NSW 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
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Jess Walsh Victoria Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Katy Gallagher ACT Absent
Murray Watt Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Andrew McLachlan SA Deputy President Absent
David Pocock ACT Independent Absent
Lidia Thorpe Victoria Independent Absent
Tammy Tyrrell Tasmania Independent Absent
David Van Victoria Independent Absent
Tammy Tyrrell Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network Yes
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network Absent
Liberal National Party (0% turnout) Absent
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
James McGrath Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (9% turnout) 2 Yes 0 No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania Yes
Matt O'Sullivan WA Yes
Alex Antic SA Absent
Wendy Askew Tasmania Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Andrew Bragg NSW Absent
Slade Brockman WA Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
Claire Chandler Tasmania Absent
Jonathon Duniam 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
Anne Ruston SA Absent
Paul Scarr Queensland Absent
Dave Sharma NSW Absent
Dean Smith WA Absent
National Party (0% turnout) Absent
Ross Cadell NSW Absent
Perin Davey NSW Absent
Susan McDonald Queensland Absent
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (50% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland No
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Sue Lines WA President Absent
Ralph Babet Victoria United Australia Party Absent
Totals (46% turnout) 24 Yes – 11 No