Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In respect of the Tax Laws amendment (2011 Measures No. 8) Bill 2011, the question is that schedule 2 stand as printed. That has been circulated on the revised opposition amendment sheet 7181. Is everyone clear on the question now before the chair?

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not clear on this. Have we debated this particular amendment?

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with the resolution that the Senate passed on Monday, the bills cannot be debated. We are now putting the final stages of all these bills and amendments.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When you say, 'Is everyone clear on this?' I am not clear. How can we vote on something that we have not even discussed. This is a travesty of democracy.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, the amendments have been circulated in the required time under the standing orders. I will put the question again so that senators are absolutely clear on the question. In respect of the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 8) Bill 2011, the question is that schedule 2 stand as printed.

Opposition's circulated amendment—

(1)   Clause 2, page 2 (table item 2, 1st column), omit “Schedules 1 and 2”, substitute “Schedule 1”.

[Petroleum Resource Rent Tax]

(2)   Schedule 2, page 5 (line 1) to page 6 (line 2), TO BE OPPOSED.

[Petroleum Resource Rent Tax]

Question put.

Senate divided. [19:27]

(The Deputy President—Senator Parry)

Question agreed to. Third Reading

The question now is that the remaining stages of the Higher Education Support Amendment Bill (No.2) 2011, the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 8) Bill 2011, the National Residue Survey (Excise) Levy Amendment (Deer) Bill 2011, the Indigenous Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2011 and the Defence Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 be agreed to and the bills be now passed.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I seek your indulgence to ask for assistance. If we want to vote differently on different bills, how do we proceed with that when all of the bills are put together at the same time?

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If you are going to vote differently on different bills we can split the bills.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could we please put the bills separately? It would assist the chamber.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Only on the ones you are going to vote differently on. Can you segregate the bills that you are going to vote differently on?

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr Deputy President: there are 76 senators in this chamber. Do you need to know how everyone is going to vote on bills we have not even had the opportunity of discussing or understanding what they are about?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To assist the chamber, I request that we vote separately on the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 8) Bill 2011.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will segregate that bill. If any senators wish to indicate they want to vote differently to the way we understand they going to vote, they can do that and we can put the bills separately. But they must then vote differently on the bills in the group before the chair. I now put the question that the remaining stages of the Tax Laws Amendment (2011 Measures No. 8) Bill 2011 be agreed to and that this bill now be passed.

Question agreed to.

The question now is that the remaining stages of the Higher Education Support Amendment Bill (No.2) 2011, the National Residue Survey (Excise) Levy Amendment (Deer) Bill 2011, the Indigenous Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2011 and the Defence Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 be agreed to and that these are bills now be passed.

Question agreed to.

Bills read a third time.