edited
3rd Sep 2017
Regional Investment Corporation Bill 2017 - Second Reading - Oppose the bill
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 94% attendance
18th Oct 2017, 12:42 PM – Senate Regional Investment Corporation Bill 2017 - in Committee - Disclosure of interests
Summary
EditThe majority voted against an amendment introduced by Labor Senator Carol Brown that dealt with disclosure of interests.
Senator Brown explained that:
Disclosing any conflicts of interest by the CEO is about transparency to ensure that decisions made by the CEO are made without personal influence or indeed external influence. Ensuring that the CEO discloses any conflicts of interest will reduce the risk of any potential for corruption and/or misconduct. For the minister's information, that is a part of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
However, Liberal Senator Anne Ruston said that the Government would not support the amendment, explaining that:
As you would be aware, the PGPA Act [Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013] requires officials of Commonwealth entities to disclose any material personal interests that relate to the affairs of the entity, and it also requires and provides for rules to prescribe how and when those interests are to be disclosed. The PGPA Rule provides for the board, as the accountable authority of the entity, to instruct how officials of the corporation, including the CEO, are to disclose the interests.
Amendment text
(7) Page 23 (after line 10), after clause 41, insert:
41A Disclosure of interests
(1) The CEO must give written notice to the Board of any disclosure made by the CEO under section 29 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (which deals with the duty to disclose interests).
(2) Subsection (1) applies in addition to any rules made for the purposes of section 29 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
(3) For the purposes of this Act and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, the CEO is taken not to have complied with section 29 of that Act if the CEO does not comply with subsection (1) of this section.
What does this bill do?
The bill was introduced to create a Regional Investment Corporation to administer farm business loans and financial assistance granted to states and territories. Read more about it in the bills digest.
Votes Not passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives | Yes | |
| Australian Greens (100% turnout) | 7 Yes – 0 No | |
| Richard Di Natale Victoria | Yes | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | Yes | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | Yes | |
| Lee Rhiannon NSW | Yes | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | Yes | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | Yes | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | Yes | |
| Australian Labor Party (72% turnout) | 18 Yes – 0 No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | Yes | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Yes | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | Yes | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | Yes | |
| Sam Dastyari NSW | Yes | |
| Patrick Dodson WA | Yes | |
| Don Farrell SA | Yes | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | Yes | |
| Kimberley Kitching Victoria | Yes | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | Yes | |
| Malarndirri McCarthy NT | Yes | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | Yes | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | Yes | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Yes | |
| Louise Pratt WA | Yes | |
| Lisa Singh Tasmania | Yes | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | Yes | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | Yes | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | Absent | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Chris Ketter Queensland | Absent | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria | Absent | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | No | |
| Derryn Hinch Victoria Derryn Hinch's Justice Party | No | |
| Sue Lines WA Deputy President | Yes | |
| Lucy Gichuhi SA Independent | No | |
| Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Independent | No | |
| David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party | Yes | |
| Liberal National Party (50% turnout) | 0 Yes – 1 No | |
| James McGrath Queensland | No | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (76% turnout) | 0 Yes – 16 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | No | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | No | |
| Slade Brockman WA | No | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | No | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | No | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | No | |
| David Fawcett SA | No | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | No | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | No | |
| James Paterson Victoria | No | |
| Marise Payne NSW | No | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | No | |
| Anne Ruston SA | No | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria | No | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | No | |
| Dean Smith WA | No | |
| George Brandis Queensland | Absent | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | Absent | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Absent | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Arthur Sinodinos NSW | Absent | |
| National Party (75% turnout) | 0 Yes – 3 No | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | No | |
| Fiona Nash NSW | No | |
| Barry O'Sullivan Queensland | No | |
| John Williams NSW | Absent | |
| Nick Xenophon Team (67% turnout) | 0 Yes – 2 No | |
| Skye Kakoschke-Moore SA | No | |
| Nick Xenophon SA | No | |
| Stirling Griff SA | Absent | |
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) | 0 Yes – 4 No | |
| Brian Burston NSW | No | |
| Peter Georgiou WA | No | |
| Pauline Hanson Queensland | No | |
| Malcolm Roberts Queensland | No | |
| Stephen Parry Tasmania President | Absent | |
| Totals (78% turnout) | 28 Yes – 30 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.