Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move:

(1) That the Senate notes that:

(a) the legislative power of the Commonwealth is vested in a Federal Parliament;

(b) this power is exercised through a vote in each chamber of the Parliament;

(c) a senator can influence the outcome of a vote by sitting on the 'yes' or 'no' side of the Senate chamber, by having themselves paired, or by being absent from the vote;

(d) pairing, which is not publicly recorded, masks if a senator is paired as a 'yes' or 'no' and this situation is exacerbated with other parties and independents who have no-one present in the chamber for the vote or if a senator decided to abstain (including a senator who decides to abstain in contrast to their party's vote or a senator who had indicated publicly they will vote in a particular way and then changes their mind);

(e) only Government and Opposition parties are aware of pairing arrangements, with votes being taken without other parties and independent senators being informed or appraised of how individual senators are paired; and

(f) every Australian has the right to see how each of their Senate representatives has influenced the outcome of a vote.

(2) That all parties and independent senators be included in the existing whips pairing sheet arrangements.

(3) That this matter be referred to the Procedure Committee for inquiry and report by 2 December 2021.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does not support this motion; however, it should be noted that pairs exist solely as a matter of convention and, as noted in Odgers Australian Senate Practice, are an entirely informal arrangement between the parties and are not part of the procedures of the Senate.

Question agreed to.