5th Dec 2019, 9:49 AM – Representatives Motions - Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 - Let a vote happen

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Melbourne MP Adam Bandt (Greens), which means it failed. The motion was to suspend the usual procedural rules in order to let a vote happen.

Motion text

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Melbourne from moving the following motion immediately:

That the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) the Senate voted yesterday to support a government bill to repeal the 'Medevac' law, which was helping sick people get the medical treatment they need;

(b) Senator Lambie has repeatedly said she placed a secret condition on her support for the bill, and then told the Senate yesterday that she had secured a deal with the government which led to her voting for the repeal bill, saying 'So I put a proposal to the government, and since then we have worked together really hard to advance that proposal. We've worked to an outcome I believe we both want … As a result of that work, I'm more than satisfied that the conditions are now in place to allow medevac to be repealed.';

(c) the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Cormann, told the Senate the direct opposite, emphatically claiming there was no deal with Senator Lambie, saying 'Let me make the most important point up front: there is no secret deal. Let me repeat that again: there is no secret deal';

(d) the Government gagged debate on the bill, forcing the Senate to vote without knowing the full facts surrounding the agreement that Senator Lambie claims exists;

(e) the media reports today that the Prime Minister wrote a letter to Senator Lambie in relation to the passage of the bill; and

(f) this secrecy and lack of transparency from the Government fundamentally undermines trust in democracy and this Parliament; and

(2) therefore requires the Prime Minister to attend the chamber by 12 noon today to respond to Senator Lambie's statements made in the Senate yesterday, to fully explain the details of all deals, arrangements and understandings with Senator Lambie regarding the 'Medevac' repeal bill and table any associated documents or letters.