edited
7th Oct 2014
Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Excessive Noise from Wind Farms) Bill 2012 - Second Reading - Read a second time
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 89% attendance
20th Sep 2012, 12:03 PM – Senate Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Excessive Noise from Wind Farms) Bill 2012 - Reference to Committee
Summary
EditThe majority voted against a motion introduced by Democratic Labor Party Senator John Madigan on behalf of himself and Independent Senator Nick Xenophon.
The motion was:
That the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Excessive Noise from Wind Farms) Bill 2012 be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 29 November 2012.
Background to the bill
The bill was introduced by Senator Madigan, also on behalf of Senator Xenophon, to provide the Clean Energy Regulator with powers to ensure that accredited power stations that are wind farms do not create excessive noise.(Read more about the bill here, including its explanatory memorandum. )
Currently, there are questions about whether the noise generated by wind farms may cause health problems.(For example, read about the divided reactions surrounding a proposed major wind farm project in South Australia here. ) However, this is widely disputed.(For example, the South Australian Environmental Protection Authority rejected the link between wind farms and health almost a month before this vote took place (see here. ) These concerns reflect similar debates around the world in communities that are affected by wind farms.(Read more about these debates here.)
References
Votes Not passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (89% turnout) | 0 Yes – 8 No | |
| Richard Di Natale Victoria | No | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | No | |
| Scott Ludlam WA | No | |
| Lee Rhiannon NSW | No | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | No | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | No | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | No | |
| Penny Wright SA | No | |
| Christine Milne Tasmania | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (83% turnout) | 0 Yes – 25 No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | No | |
| Mark Bishop WA | No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | No | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | No | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | No | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | No | |
| Stephen Conroy Victoria | No | |
| Trish Crossin NT | No | |
| Don Farrell SA | No | |
| John Faulkner NSW | No | |
| David Feeney Victoria | No | |
| Mark Furner Queensland | No | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | No | |
| Joe Ludwig Queensland | No | |
| Kate Lundy ACT | No | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria | No | |
| Anne McEwen SA | No | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | No | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | No | |
| Louise Pratt WA | No | |
| Ursula Stephens NSW | No | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | No | |
| Matt Thistlethwaite NSW | No | |
| Lin Thorp Tasmania | No | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | No | |
| Bob Carr NSW | Absent | |
| Chris Evans WA | Absent | |
| Jan McLucas Queensland | Absent | |
| Lisa Singh Tasmania | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | Yes | |
| John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party | Yes | |
| Stephen Parry Tasmania Deputy President | Yes | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Independent | Yes | |
| Liberal Party (78% turnout) | 21 Yes – 0 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Yes | |
| Christopher Back WA | Yes | |
| Sue Boyce Queensland | Yes | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | Yes | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Yes | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | Yes | |
| Sean Edwards SA | Yes | |
| Alan Eggleston WA | Yes | |
| David Fawcett SA | Yes | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | Yes | |
| Bill Heffernan NSW | Yes | |
| Gary Humphries ACT | Yes | |
| David Johnston WA | Yes | |
| Helen Kroger Victoria | Yes | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | Yes | |
| Brett Mason Queensland | Yes | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Yes | |
| Michael Ronaldson Victoria | Yes | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria | Yes | |
| Arthur Sinodinos NSW | Yes | |
| Dean Smith WA | Yes | |
| Cory Bernardi SA | Absent | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| George Brandis Queensland | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Absent | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Absent | |
| National Party (100% turnout) | 5 Yes – 0 No | |
| Ron Boswell Queensland | Yes | |
| Barnaby Joyce Queensland | Yes | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Yes | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | Yes | |
| John Williams NSW | Yes | |
| John Hogg Queensland President | No | |
| Totals (84% turnout) | 30 Yes – 34 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.