Bills — Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2024, Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023; Second Reading
Passed by a small majority
2 rebellions 57% attendance
10th Oct 2024, 1:56 PM – Senate Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2024 and another - Third Reading - Agree with the remaining stages
Summary
EditThe majority voted in favour of a motion that the remaining stages of these bills be agreed to.
What does this bill do?
Note that the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2024 was formerly known as the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2023.
The bills digest sets out the following key points in respect to the bills:
The Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Bill 2023 (ANNPS Bill) establishes a new regulatory framework to promote and regulate the nuclear safety of activities relating to AUKUS submarines. The framework would apply to Australian submarines and, in more limited circumstances, to activities related to UK/US submarines.
The ANNPS Bill establishes a new regulator, the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator. The Regulator would be able to grant Australian naval nuclear power safety licences to Commonwealth-related persons for 3 types of regulated activities in designated zones. The Regulator would have a range of compliance and enforcement powers.
The Minister would be able to give the Regulator directions ‘if it is necessary … in the interests of national security and to deal with an emergency’.
The ANNPS Bill provides for a range of matters to be established in regulations and contains few transparency mechanisms.
The Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 (Transitional Provisions Bill) provides for the transfer of existing licences granted under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 (ARPANS Act) to Australian naval nuclear power safety licences under the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Act 2024 for activities that would become regulated activities under that Act.
The Bills have been referred to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 26 April 2024.
The Senate Scrutiny of Bills Committee raised a number of concerns with the ANNPS Bill and has sought further information from the Minister.
No rebellion
Note that West Australian Senator Fatima Payman (independent) is currently listed as a rebel voter but this is inaccurate because Senator Payman is no longer part of the Labor Party and is instead now an independent senator.
Votes Passed by a small majority
There was 1 rebellion in this division.
- Fatima Payman voted No against the majority of the Australian Labor 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 | |
| Barbara Pocock SA | No | |
| David Shoebridge NSW | No | |
| Jordon Steele-John WA | No | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | No | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (84% turnout) | 20 Yes – 1 No | |
| Tim Ayres NSW | Yes | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Yes | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Yes | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | Yes | |
| Raff Ciccone Victoria | Yes | |
| Lisa Darmanin Victoria | Yes | |
| Don Farrell SA | Yes | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | 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 | |
| Louise Pratt WA | Yes | |
| Marielle Smith SA | Yes | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Yes | |
| Jana Stewart Victoria | Yes | |
| Jess Walsh Victoria | Yes | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | Yes | |
| Fatima Payman WA | No | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Absent | |
| Tony Sheldon NSW | Absent | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | 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 | No | |
| David Van Victoria Independent | Absent | |
| Jacqui Lambie Network (100% turnout) | 1 Yes – 1 No | |
| Tammy Tyrrell Tasmania | Yes | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania | No | |
| Liberal National Party (0% turnout) | Absent | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Absent | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (22% turnout) | 5 Yes – 0 No | |
| Wendy Askew Tasmania | Yes | |
| Claire Chandler Tasmania | Yes | |
| Matt O'Sullivan WA | Yes | |
| James Paterson Victoria | Yes | |
| Paul Scarr Queensland | Yes | |
| Alex Antic SA | Absent | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| Andrew Bragg NSW | Absent | |
| Slade Brockman WA | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Richard Colbeck 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 | |
| Gerard Rennick Queensland | Absent | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Absent | |
| Anne Ruston SA | 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 (54% turnout) | 26 Yes – 15 No |
Red entries are rebel votes against the majority of a party.
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.