Photo of Julian Simmonds

Julian Simmonds voted very strongly against making the cashless debit card program voluntary

How Julian Simmonds voted compared to someone who believes that the federal government should make the cashless debit card program - which is a program where welfare payments are put onto controlled debit cards that are restricted in use - is voluntary

Division Julian Simmonds Supporters vote Division outcome

30th Jul 2019, 6:11 PM – Representatives Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Cashless Welfare) Bill 2019 - Second Reading - Make voluntary

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Barton MP Linda Burney (Labor), which means it failed. The motion would have amended the usual second reading motion That this bill be now read a second time, which is parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill.

Motion text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House calls on the Government to:

(1) present in Parliament by the end of 2019:

(a) a report making clear whether or not there is continuing community support in each of the trial sites for the cashless debit card program; and

(b) a wraparound services plan explaining how the Government has boosted community services in each of the trial sites and what increased investment in services will be made in the future; and

(2) make participation in the cashless debit card program voluntary from 30 January 2020, unless there is clear local community support and consent for the operation of the program".

 No Yes Not passed by a small majority

How "voted very strongly against" is worked out

The MP's votes count towards a weighted average where the most important votes get 50 points, less important votes get 10 points, and less important votes for which the MP was absent get 2 points. In important votes the MP gets awarded the full 50 points for voting the same as the policy, 0 points for voting against the policy, and 25 points for not voting. In less important votes, the MP gets 10 points for voting with the policy, 0 points for voting against, and 1 (out of 2) if absent.

Then, the number gets converted to a simple english language phrase based on the range of values it's within.

No of votes Points Out of
Most important votes (50 points)      
MP voted with policy 0 0 0
MP voted against policy 0 0 0
MP absent 0 0 0
Less important votes (10 points)      
MP voted with policy 0 0 0
MP voted against policy 1 0 10
Less important absentees (2 points)      
MP absent* 0 0 0
Total: 0 10

*Pressure of other work means MPs or Senators are not always available to vote – it does not always indicate they have abstained. Therefore, being absent on a less important vote makes a disproportionatly small difference.

Agreement score = MP's points / total points = 0 / 10 = 0.0%.

And then