Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hinch. This matter was brought to my attention this morning. You correctly point out the requirements of standing order 100, subclauses (2) and (3). With respect to the vote held yesterday, yes, senators should remain in the chamber and are required to when they call for a division, and their vote is required to reflect their voice when the question was put. However, upon taking advice, I believe the result of the division would not have been any different. It is not an invalid division, but you correctly give us the opportunity to remind all senators that, when they call for a division, they must remain in the chamber, and their vote must reflect their voice call when the matter was first put. To do otherwise is a breach of standing orders. But the division is not invalidated by that, given the result would have been no different.