19th Mar 2018 – Senate Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2017-2018, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2017-2018 - in Committee - Potential constitutional issue
Summary
EditThe majority voted against amendments introduced by NSW Senator David Leyonhjelm (Liberal Democratic Party), which means they failed.
What do the amendments do?
Senator Leyonhjelm explained that the amendments:
are intended to make these appropriation bills consistent with the Constitution. Under the Constitution, the government should put new initiatives into one bill, not into a bill which cannot be amended by the Senate. These appropriation bills cannot be amended by the Senate. They should not contain new initiatives, but they do. Those initiatives should be taken out and put into a bill which can be amended by the Senate. That's simply the purpose of it. The government is not acting in accordance with the Constitution and it should be.
However, the Government disagreed with Senator Leyonhjelm's characterisation.
Votes Not passed by a large majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Cory Bernardi SA Australian Conservatives | Absent | |
| Australian Greens (89% turnout) | 0 Yes – 8 No | |
| Andrew Bartlett Queensland | No | |
| Richard Di Natale Victoria | No | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young SA | No | |
| Nick McKim Tasmania | No | |
| Lee Rhiannon NSW | No | |
| Janet Rice Victoria | No | |
| Rachel Siewert WA | No | |
| Jordon Steele-John WA | No | |
| Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania | Absent | |
| Australian Labor Party (68% turnout) | 0 Yes – 17 No | |
| Catryna Bilyk Tasmania | No | |
| Carol Brown Tasmania | No | |
| Anthony Chisholm Queensland | No | |
| Patrick Dodson WA | No | |
| Don Farrell SA | No | |
| Alex Gallacher SA | No | |
| Kristina Keneally NSW | No | |
| Chris Ketter Queensland | No | |
| Kimberley Kitching Victoria | No | |
| Gavin Marshall Victoria | No | |
| Jenny McAllister NSW | No | |
| Malarndirri McCarthy NT | No | |
| Claire Moore Queensland | No | |
| Louise Pratt WA | No | |
| Lisa Singh Tasmania | No | |
| Anne Urquhart Tasmania | No | |
| Murray Watt Queensland | No | |
| Doug Cameron NSW | Absent | |
| Kim Carr Victoria | Absent | |
| Jacinta Collins Victoria | Absent | |
| Katy Gallagher ACT | Absent | |
| Deborah O'Neill NSW | Absent | |
| Helen Polley Tasmania | Absent | |
| Glenn Sterle WA | Absent | |
| Penny Wong SA | Absent | |
| Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party | Absent | |
| Derryn Hinch Victoria Derryn Hinch's Justice Party | No | |
| Sue Lines WA Deputy President | No | |
| Fraser Anning Queensland Independent | Yes | |
| Lucy Gichuhi SA Independent | No | |
| Steve Martin Tasmania Independent | No | |
| Tim Storer SA Independent | Absent | |
| David Leyonhjelm NSW Liberal Democratic Party | Yes | |
| Liberal National Party (0% turnout) | Absent | |
| Matthew Canavan Queensland | Absent | |
| James McGrath Queensland | Absent | |
| Liberal Party (59% turnout) | 0 Yes – 13 No | |
| Eric Abetz Tasmania | No | |
| Slade Brockman WA | No | |
| David Bushby Tasmania | No | |
| Michaelia Cash WA | No | |
| Richard Colbeck Tasmania | No | |
| Mathias Cormann WA | No | |
| Jonathon Duniam Tasmania | No | |
| David Fawcett SA | No | |
| Jane Hume Victoria | No | |
| James Paterson Victoria | No | |
| Marise Payne NSW | No | |
| Zed Seselja ACT | No | |
| Dean Smith WA | No | |
| Simon Birmingham SA | Absent | |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW | Absent | |
| Mitch Fifield Victoria | Absent | |
| Lucy Gichuhi SA | Absent | |
| Ian Macdonald Queensland | Absent | |
| Jim Molan NSW | Absent | |
| Linda Reynolds WA | Absent | |
| Anne Ruston SA | Absent | |
| Arthur Sinodinos NSW | Absent | |
| National Party (0% turnout) | Absent | |
| Bridget McKenzie Victoria | Absent | |
| Barry O'Sullivan Queensland | Absent | |
| John Williams NSW | Absent | |
| Nick Xenophon Team (100% turnout) | 2 Yes – 0 No | |
| Stirling Griff SA | Yes | |
| Rex Patrick SA | Yes | |
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (100% turnout) | 3 Yes – 0 No | |
| Brian Burston NSW | Yes | |
| Peter Georgiou WA | Yes | |
| Pauline Hanson Queensland | Yes | |
| Scott Ryan Victoria President | Absent | |
| Totals (65% turnout) | 7 Yes – 42 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.