Senate debates

Thursday, 10 February 2022

Business

Consideration Of Legislation

12:02 pm

Photo of Jonathon DuniamJonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings:

Appropriation (Coronavirus Response) Bill (No. 1) 2021-2022

Appropriation (Coronavirus Response) Bill (No. 2) 2021-2022

Corporate Collective Investment Vehicle Framework and Other Measures Bill 2021

Electoral Legislation Amendment (Foreign Influences and Offences) Bill 2022

Electoral Legislation Amendment (Authorisations) Bill 2022

Electoral Legislation Amendment (COVID Enfranchisement) Bill 2022

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and Other Measures) Bill 2021

Parliamentary Workplace Reform (Set the Standard Measures No. 1) Bill 2022

Religious Discrimination Bill 2021

Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021

Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021.

Photo of Nick McKimNick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I ask that the question be put separately on some of the legislation in this motion, and, apologies, I'll need to go through the list. We intend to vote differently on the following pieces of legislation: the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Foreign Influences and Offences) Bill, the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Authorisations) Bill and the Electoral Legislation Amendment (COVID Franchisement) Bill, the NDIS amendment, the Religious Discrimination Bill, the Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill and the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021. I ask that the question on those bills be put separately to the question on the remainder of the bills in this motion.

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

With the agreement of the chamber, I'll put the question on those bills as set out by Senator McKim first. We start with the question on those bills as listed by Senator McKim—three electoral matters bills, NDIS amendment, two religious discrimination bills and the human rights bill.

12:03 pm

Photo of Janet RiceJanet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Photo of Janet RiceJanet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

The Religious Discrimination Bill should be dumped rather than be rushed through the Senate. The bill, as was passed through the House last night, would increase discrimination against people with disability, against women, against people of minority faiths and against LGBTIQA+ people. The bill, as was passed through the House last night, would allow an aged-care home to refuse to employ a worker because she is a Muslim woman wearing a hijab. The bill, as was passed through the House last night, would allow a school to sack staff or students because they refuse to sign up to a school policy that says homosexuality is evil. The bill that was passed through the House last night would make legal hurtful, harmful statements, like disability being a punishment from God. This bill should be dumped. It should be put into the dustbin of history, rather than being rushed through the Senate.

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

The question is that the motion be agreed to with respect to the bills as listed by Senator McKim. Senator Urquhart.

Photo of Anne UrquhartAnne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Could we put the electoral bills separately, and the religious ones together?

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

You're happy with putting the electoral bills and the NDIS bill together, and then the religious discrimination and the human rights bills; is that correct?

Photo of Anne UrquhartAnne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

We will start with the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Foreign Influences and Offences) Bill 2022, the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Authorisations) Bill 2022, the Electoral Legislation Amendment (COVID Enfranchisement) Bill 2022 and the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and Other Measures) Bill 2021. The question is the motion be agreed to.

12:14 pm

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

I will now put the question on the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021, the Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021 and the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021.

Question negatived.

Photo of Katy GallagherKaty Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | | Hansard source

on indulgence—I'm trying to understand what occurred just then with the religious discrimination bills and the human rights bill. What was the result of that vote?

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

That item was negatived.

Photo of Katy GallagherKaty Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | | Hansard source

So they weren't exempted?

The:

They weren't exempted. They weren't part of the motion. Senator Abetz, are you seeking the call?

12:15 pm

Photo of Eric AbetzEric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I am in a state of confusion, and I think the vast majority of my colleagues are as well. Can we have explained to us what has actually been put to us?

An honourable senator: Read the motion.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The motion as printed at item 3 of government business has been put in three parts. So far, we have dealt with the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Foreign Influences and Offences) Bill 2022, the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Authorisations) Bill 2022, the Electoral Legislation Amendment (COVID Enfranchisement) Bill 2022 and the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Participant Service Guarantee and Other Measures) Bill 2021. That was agreed by the chamber. We then put the motion with the two religious discrimination bills and the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021. That was negatived. I'm now putting the remainder of the motion. Senator Canavan?

12:16 pm

Photo of Matthew CanavanMatthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I'm a little confused. I don't have the motion in front of me. In regard to the religious discrimination bills and the human rights bill, you said you'd put the motion. What was that motion? What was the content of it? I don't have it in front of me.

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

That was the motion to exempt the bills from the cut-off order, and that has been negatived. Let's move on. I will now put the remaining parts of that motion.

Question agreed to.