David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for the remaining stages of the bill has expired. I will first deal with the Australian Greens' amendment moved by Senator Waters on sheet 3194. The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Waters on sheet 3194 be agreed to.

Australian Greens' circulated amendment—

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) any legislation to deliver electoral reforms must strengthen democracy and not just the political fortunes of the major parties,

(ii) the Greens are concerned that the proposed reforms entrench incumbency advantages that stack outcomes in favour of the two-party system, and

(iii) the Greens continue to advocate for genuine electoral reform including getting big money out of politics, banning donations from fossil fuel corporations and other social harm industries, implementing truth in political advertising laws, strengthening the Lobbying Code of Conduct and enforcing longer post-parliamentary cooling-off periods for Ministers before they go to work for industries they were regulating; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) separate the transparency measures in this bill so that Parliament can pass them as a matter of urgency, and

(ii) support an inquiry into the funding elements of the bill to allow for democratic scrutiny of its provisions".

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll now deal with Pauline Hanson's One Nation amendment on sheet 3319. The question is that the Pauline Hanson's One Nation amendment on sheet 3319 be agreed to.

Pauline Hanson One Nation's circulated amendments—

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) calls on the Government to:

(i) hold a referendum to alter the Constitution so that;

(A) senators and members of the House of Representatives serve four years terms, and

(B) elections for the House of Representatives and the whole Senate must be held on the same day, and

(C) the number of senators from each State is fixed at no more than twelve, and

(D) the number of senators from the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory is fixed at no more than two, and

(E) senators and members of the House of Representatives must resign from the Parliament if their party affiliation, or status as an independent, at the time of their election changes during the course of their term, and

(ii) modernise and digitise the electoral roll so that an elector is automatically marked as having voted in an election as soon as they are provided with a ballot paper as currently occurs in Queensland".

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will now deal with Senator Thorpe's amendment on sheet 3316. As this amendment was not circulated within the required timeframe, it can only be considered by leave.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) the Senate notes that:

(i) the bill and the associated explanatory memorandum are together more than 400 pages long,

(ii) there has been limited parliamentary scrutiny of the more than 400 pages,

(iii) Australians expect the Senate, as the house of review, to consider legislation carefully,

(iv) in the midst of cost of living pressures, the Government is giving itself and other parties substantial increases in public funding instead of prioritising increased support to Australians who are doing it tough,

(v) the bill creates an unfair playing field, giving advantage to incumbents over new candidates by failing to give all candidates the same public funding for administrative support and failing to account for incumbent resources such as an office, staff, a vehicle and marketing budget whilst imposing a spending cap on candidates,

(vi) the bill provides disproportionate yearly administrative assistance funding to major political parties, and fails to account for any economies of scale,

(vii) the bill entrenches political party advantage over independent candidates by imposing a spending cap on individual seats while still permitting additional party advertising under a party's $90 million national cap,

(viii) the bill provisions particularly disadvantage independent candidates from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, resulting in a parliamentary system and policy outcomes less representative of a wide range of the population; and

(b) the Senate calls on the Government to:

(i) undertake an assessment of realistic administrative compliance costs under the bill, and

(ii) place a cap on administrative assistance funding to political parties to accurately reflect administrative compliance costs".

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that Senator Thorpe's amendment on sheet 3316 be agreed to.

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question now is that this bill now be read a second time.