edited
20th Jul 2024
Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Withdrawal from Amalgamation) Bill 2024 - Report from Federation Chamber - Criticism of Government
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 91% attendance
2nd Jul 2024, 3:40 PM – Senate Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Withdrawal from Amalgamation) Bill 2024 - Third Reading - Pass the bill
Summary
EditThe majority voted in favour of a motion that the remaining stages of the bill be agreed to and the bill be now passed. Because the bill has already passed in the House of Representatives, it can now become law.
What does this bill do?
According to the bill homepage, the bill:
Amends the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to enable the Manufacturing Division to de-merge from the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union, if supported by a ballot of relevant members.
According to the explanatory memorandum (which is a political document prepared by the Government, who introduced this bill):
The Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Withdrawal from Amalgamation) Bill 2024 would amend the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (Registered Organisations Act) to enable the Manufacturing Division of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (the CFMEU, an organisation registered under the Registered Organisations Act) to de-merge from the CFMEU.
The Bill would:
enable an application to be made to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) before 31 October 2024 for a ballot to be held to decide whether the Manufacturing Division should withdraw;
apply the provisions of the Registered Organisations Act and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Regulations 2009 as they were immediately before commencement of Part 13 of Schedule 1 to the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2024 , with appropriate modifications;
specify coverage rules for the new registered organisation, if the ballot is supported by a majority of relevant members;
provide an alternate pathway if the parties both agree (and subject to strict time limits), by way of a notice being given to the Minister which initiates a separate process to support a consensus-based approach to facilitating withdrawal; and
require consensus on any relevant proposed alterations to the CFMEU’s eligibility rules that affect both parties before 1 January 2034.
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 (80% turnout) | 20 Yes – 0 No | |
| Tim Ayres NSW | Yes | |
| Carol Brown 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 | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Yes | |
| Louise Pratt WA | Yes | |
| Tony Sheldon NSW | Yes | |
| Marielle Smith SA | Yes | |
| Jana Stewart Victoria | Yes | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Yes | |
| Jess Walsh Victoria | Yes | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | Yes | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Fatima Payman WA | Absent | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Jacinta Nampijinpa Price NT Country Liberal Party | Absent | |
| Andrew McLachlan SA Deputy President | Yes | |
| David Pocock ACT Independent | Yes | |
| David Van Victoria Independent | Yes | |
| Lidia Thorpe 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) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Yes | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Yes | |
| Liberal Party (65% turnout) | 15 Yes – 0 No | |
| Alex Antic SA | Yes | |
| Wendy Askew Tasmania | Yes | |
| Andrew Bragg NSW | Yes | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Yes | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Yes | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | Yes | |
| Sarah Henderson Victoria | Yes | |
| Maria Kovacic NSW | Yes | |
| Matt O'Sullivan WA | Yes | |
| Gerard Rennick Queensland | Yes | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Yes | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Yes | |
| Paul Scarr Queensland | Yes | |
| Dave Sharma NSW | Yes | |
| Dean Smith WA | Yes | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| Slade Brockman WA | Absent | |
| Claire Chandler Tasmania | Absent | |
| David Fawcett SA | Absent | |
| Hollie Hughes NSW | Absent | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | Absent | |
| Kerrynne Liddle SA | Absent | |
| James Paterson Victoria | Absent | |
| National Party (25% turnout) | 1 Yes – 0 No | |
| Perin Davey NSW | Yes | |
| Ross Cadell NSW | Absent | |
| Susan McDonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Absent | |
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Pauline Hanson Queensland | Yes | |
| Malcolm Roberts Queensland | Yes | |
| Sue Lines WA President | Absent | |
| Ralph Babet Victoria United Australia Party | Yes | |
| Totals (74% turnout) | 46 Yes – 10 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.