Photo of Brian Burston

Brian Burston has never voted on the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

How Brian Burston voted compared to someone who believes that the federal government should fund and maintain the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, or ARENA, as an independent body that manages the government's renewable energy programs

Division Brian Burston Supporters vote Division outcome

15th Sep 2016, 11:35 PM – Senate Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill 2016 - Third Reading - Pass the bill

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

Since the bill's already passed in the House of Representatives, it will now become law.

What does this bill do?

This bill does a lot of work! It crosses eight different portfolios, from Education to the Treasury. Read more about it in the bills digest.

For example, the bill:

 absent No (strong) Passed by a modest majority

15th Sep 2016, 10:27 PM – Senate Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill 2016 - in Committee - ARENA

Show detail 		absent No (strong) Passed by a modest majority

15th Sep 2016, 9:25 PM – Senate Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill 2016 - Second Reading - Agree to the main idea

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The majority voted in favour of a motion to read the bill for a second time. In other words, they agreed with the main idea of the bill and will now discuss it in more detail.

What does this bill do?

This bill does a lot of work! It crosses eight different portfolios, from Education to the Treasury. Read more about it in the bills digest.

For example, the bill:

 absent No (strong) Passed by a modest majority

15th Sep 2016, 9:21 PM – Senate Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill 2016 - Second Reading - Financial arrangements of ARENA

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Senator Nick Xenophon, which means it was unsuccessful.

Motion wording

At the end of the motion, add:

, but the Senate is of the opinion that the financial arrangements for Australian Renewable Energy Agency should be extended to provide the Agency with the capacity to provide investment funds, as well as have equity in funded projects.

 absent Yes Not passed by a large majority

15th Sep 2016, 9:12 PM – Senate Budget Savings (Omnibus) Bill 2016 - Second Reading - ARENA funding

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The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Larissa Waters, which means it was unsuccessful.

Motion text

At the end of the motion, add:

, but the Senate condemns this bill for ripping $500 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency's clean energy innovation grants as a dangerous and irresponsible act of sabotage, especially in a climate emergency and global transition to clean energy, and because it leaves the Coalition and Labor parties with no meaningful plan to meet Australia's Renewable Energy Target and pollution reduction target agreed at the Paris climate conference.

 absent Yes Not passed by a modest majority

How "never voted" is worked out

Normally a person's votes count towards a score which is used to work out a simple phrase to summarise their position on a policy. However in this case Brian Burston was absent during all divisions for this policy. So, it's impossible to say anything concrete other than that they have "never voted" on this policy.