Summary

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The same number of senators voted for and against an amendment introduced by South Australian Senator Don Farrell, which means it didn't gain a majority and therefore failed. The amendment would have amended the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time." Reading a bill for a second time is the same as agreeing with the main idea of the bill.

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add:

", but the Senate:

(a) is of the opinion that Australia's electoral system would be strengthened by:

(i) lowering the disclosure threshold for political donations from the current $14,300 to $1,000,

(ii) removing the indexation of the political donation disclosure threshold, and

(iii) requiring recipients of political donations to disclose those donations within seven days;

(b) notes that the Opposition has introduced the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Transparency Measures – Lowering the Disclosure Threshold) Bill 2019 and the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Transparency Measures – Real Time Disclosure) Bill 2019, which, if enacted, would achieve these outcomes;

(c) calls on the Government to support these bills; and

(d) is also of the opinion that Australia's electoral system would be further strengthened by:

(i) implementing caps on political donations and electoral expenditure,

(ii) increasing the rate of public funding concurrently with the implementation of these caps, to reduce the reliance of participants in the political process on political fundraising, and

(iii) introducing administrative funding for parties and elected independents to cover administrative and operating expenses".

Votes Not passed

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (50% turnout) 4 Yes 0 No
Mehreen Faruqi NSW Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Nick McKim Tasmania Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Janet Rice Victoria Absent
Jordon Steele-John WA Absent
Larissa Waters Queensland Absent
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Absent
Australian Labor Party (64% turnout) 16 Yes 0 No
Tim Ayres NSW Yes
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
Katy Gallagher ACT Yes
Nita Green Queensland 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
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Jess Walsh Victoria Yes
Murray Watt Queensland Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Raff Ciccone Victoria Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Alex Gallacher SA Absent
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance Yes
Rex Patrick SA Centre Alliance Yes
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party Absent
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Yes
Rex Patrick SA Independent Absent
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network Yes
Liberal National Party (50% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
James McGrath Queensland No
Matthew Canavan Queensland Absent
Liberal Party (72% turnout) 0 Yes 21 No
Alex Antic SA No
Andrew Bragg NSW No
Slade Brockman WA No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Claire Chandler Tasmania No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Sarah Henderson Victoria No
Jane Hume Victoria No
Andrew McLachlan SA No
Matt O'Sullivan WA No
James Paterson Victoria No
Marise Payne NSW No
Gerard Rennick Queensland No
Linda Reynolds WA No
Anne Ruston SA No
Zed Seselja ACT No
Dean Smith WA No
Amanda Stoker Queensland No
David Van Victoria No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Wendy Askew Tasmania Absent
Simon Birmingham SA Absent
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania Absent
David Fawcett SA Absent
Hollie Hughes NSW Absent
Jim Molan NSW Absent
Paul Scarr Queensland Absent
National Party (33% turnout) 0 Yes 1 No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
Perin Davey NSW Absent
Susan McDonald Queensland Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (0% turnout) Absent
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Absent
Scott Ryan Victoria President No
Totals (64% turnout) 24 Yes – 24 No