edited
7th Oct 2014
Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2] and related bills - Second Reading - Read a second time
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 84% attendance
7th Jul 2014, 1:25 PM – Senate Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2] and related bills - First Reading - Proceed without formality
Summary
EditThe majority voted against a motion "that these bills may proceed without formality", which was introduced by Liberal Senator Eric Abetz. This means that the motion was unsuccessful.
This motion was attempting "to skip the requirement in the standing orders for different stages to occur on different days".(See the Senators' Guide to Procedure here. ) Because it didn't succeed, these bills will have to follow these requirements.
Background to the bills
The Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2) and related bills were introduced to remove the carbon pricing mechanism, which was introduced by the Australian Labor Party while in government. The Coalition described the mechanism as a “carbon tax” and removing it was a key policy platform during the 2013 election.(You can read more about the Coalition's policy to remove the carbon price here. )
The carbon pricing mechanism commenced on 1 July 2012.(For more information on the carbon pricing mechanism and how it works, please see the Clean Energy Regulator’s website. ) It is an emissions trading scheme that puts a price on carbon emissions. It applies to “liable entities” (a group that includes companies that emit a high level of greenhouse gases). Initially the price of carbon is fixed by the mechanism but from 1 July 2015 the price will be set by the market, though the Labor Government did announce plans to bring this forward to 1 July 2014 just before they were defeated by the Coalition in the 2013 election.
This is the second time that this package of bills has been introduced, after they were rejected in the Senate during the third reading stage the first time round.(See that division here.)
The other related bills that were introduced along with the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2) are:
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013 (No. 2);
- Climate Change Authority (Abolition) Bill 2013 (No. 2).
Votes Not passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Greens (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 10 No | |
| Richard Di Natale Victoria | No | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | No | |
| Scott Ludlam WA | No | |
| Christine Milne Tasmania | No | |
| Lee Rhiannon NSW | No | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | No | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | No | |
| Larissa Waters Queensland | No | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | No | |
| Penny Wright SA | No | |
| Australian Labor Party (88% turnout) | 0 Yes – 21 No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | No | |
| Joe Bullock WA | No | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | No | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | No | |
| Sam Dastyari NSW | No | |
| John Faulkner NSW | No | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | No | |
| Chris Ketter Queensland | No | |
| Sue Lines WA | No | |
| Joe Ludwig Queensland | No | |
| Kate Lundy ACT | No | |
| Anne McEwen SA | No | |
| Jan McLucas Queensland | No | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | No | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | No | |
| Nova Peris NT | No | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | No | |
| Lisa Singh Tasmania | No | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | No | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | No | |
| Penny Wong SA | No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| Stephen Conroy Victoria | Absent | |
| Ricky Muir Victoria Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party | No | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | Yes | |
| John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party | Yes | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria Deputy President | Absent | |
| Bob Day SA Family First Party | Yes | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Independent | No | |
| David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party | Yes | |
| Liberal National Party (100% turnout) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Yes | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Yes | |
| Liberal Party (84% turnout) | 21 Yes – 0 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | Yes | |
| Christopher Back WA | Yes | |
| Cory Bernardi SA | Yes | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Yes | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | Yes | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | Yes | |
| Sean Edwards SA | Yes | |
| David Fawcett SA | Yes | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Yes | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | Yes | |
| Bill Heffernan NSW | Yes | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | Yes | |
| Brett Mason Queensland | Yes | |
| Marise Payne NSW | Yes | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Yes | |
| Michael Ronaldson Victoria | Yes | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Yes | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria | Yes | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | Yes | |
| Arthur Sinodinos NSW | Yes | |
| Dean Smith WA | Yes | |
| George Brandis Queensland | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | Absent | |
| David Johnston WA | Absent | |
| National Party (100% turnout) | 4 Yes – 0 No | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Yes | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | Yes | |
| Barry O'Sullivan Queensland | Yes | |
| John Williams NSW | Yes | |
| Nick Xenophon SA Nick Xenophon Team | Absent | |
| Palmer United Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 3 No | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania | No | |
| Glenn Lazarus Queensland | No | |
| Dio Wang WA | No | |
| Stephen Parry Tasmania President | Yes | |
| Totals (89% turnout) | 32 Yes – 36 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.