Berries
Kennel Immortal
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2006
- Messages
- 16,876
- Reaction score
- 8,908
THE Gillard government has lost its first vote on the floor of Australia's parliament.
Labor lost a vote on parliamentary reform legislation 73-72 after key independents threw their support behind the Coalition in the House of Representatives.
It was the first time a government had lost a vote on the floor of the lower house since 1962, the office of the Clerk of the House confirmed, although on three occasions since 1941 - in 1942, 1991 and 1992 - the then government had lost votes when the Speaker backed the opposition with a casting vote.
Ironically, Labor's loss came in a vote on how to deal with divisions in which an MP inadvertently misses a vote.
Two of the four independents who backed Labor to form minority government switched their support to the Coalition on amendments to the parliamentary reform legislation, while Queensland MP Bob Katter, who had sided with the Coalition, supported Labor.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related CoverageDESPATCH BOX: First test warns of wild ride
PAIRING: Abbott's rules will stop debate: Crean
MUSCLE: Greens make first move on gay marriage
SERVICES: Labor to bring back compulsory campus fees
WELCOME: PM wants Turnbull on climate committee
.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Tony Crook backed a Coalition amendment to the reformed standing orders, giving the Coalition 73 votes, while Bob Katter, Andrew Wilkie and Adam Bandt backed Labor, giving them 72.
The standing orders were then passed on the floor of the House.
The opposition's one successful amendment to the proposed reforms related to the recommittal of votes, which occurs after an MP misses a division on a vote.
Government Leader of the House Anthony Albanese said the opposition's amendment would create “a longer procedural wrangle for the result”.
Under sweeping changes to parliamentary practice, Julia Gillard and her ministers will be banned from waffling on beyond four minutes in question time.
Speaker Harry Jenkins also signalled that he would vacate the chair at will, potentially forcing the Liberal deputy speaker Peter Slipper to give up his vote on key votes.
This would reduce the Coalition's numbers on the floor of the house to 71.
In the first significant decision of the new parliament, the way has also been cleared for prompt debate of private members' bills, such as the Greens same-sex marriage and euthanasia legislation.
A parliamentary budget office will be established, there will be nine hours of private members' business, up from two and a half, 90-second statements will be made by members for the 15 minutes before question time, and an acknowledgement of country will be made before parliamentary prayers.
The changes to parliamentary rules deliver on an all-party agreement on parliamentary reform reached on September 6 in response to pressure from independent MPs.
Mr Oakeshott, who drove the parliamentary reforms, hailed the reforms for giving a more prominent role for private members' business, saying that power had shifted away from the executive and back to the parliament.
“The floor of the house should matter, we saw yesterday it did matter, and I hope it will see us...engage in a public policy debate that makes us stronger,” he said.
“We have agreements with government...the spirit and intent is that private members' bills will be voted on.”
Mr Oakeshott urged MPs to watch votes on private members' legislation, saying “we should have the strength of character to deal with the uncomfortable,” adding that even if someone came into the chamber with a “strangle all cats” legislation, it should be voted on.
Mr Albanese said the government was committed to the reforms, welcoming the prominence that private members' business would enjoy.
He also reiterated the government's commitment to the agreement with the Greens, which allows for dedicated time for debate and voting on private members' bills, and for the House of Representatives to debate private senators' bills within six sitting days.
The Leader of the House also said the bill selection committee would be comprised of “an additional non-government member from the opposition, an additional government member and an additional member of the crossbenches”.
Leader of Opposition business Christopher Pyne said Labor had been dragged kicking and screaming to the parliamentary reform process.
He noted that the parliamentary budget office had not been codified in the revised standing orders, while other reforms had been implemented by reinterpretation of existing standing orders.
But he welcomed the reforms, which give more questions to opposition and crossbench MPs, and more opportunities for matters of public importance.
And Mr Katter, who sided with the Coalition after the election, backed Labor on an amendment to the reform agreement.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...rding-to-sources/story-fn59niix-1225931763187
Labor lost a vote on parliamentary reform legislation 73-72 after key independents threw their support behind the Coalition in the House of Representatives.
It was the first time a government had lost a vote on the floor of the lower house since 1962, the office of the Clerk of the House confirmed, although on three occasions since 1941 - in 1942, 1991 and 1992 - the then government had lost votes when the Speaker backed the opposition with a casting vote.
Ironically, Labor's loss came in a vote on how to deal with divisions in which an MP inadvertently misses a vote.
Two of the four independents who backed Labor to form minority government switched their support to the Coalition on amendments to the parliamentary reform legislation, while Queensland MP Bob Katter, who had sided with the Coalition, supported Labor.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related CoverageDESPATCH BOX: First test warns of wild ride
PAIRING: Abbott's rules will stop debate: Crean
MUSCLE: Greens make first move on gay marriage
SERVICES: Labor to bring back compulsory campus fees
WELCOME: PM wants Turnbull on climate committee
.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Tony Crook backed a Coalition amendment to the reformed standing orders, giving the Coalition 73 votes, while Bob Katter, Andrew Wilkie and Adam Bandt backed Labor, giving them 72.
The standing orders were then passed on the floor of the House.
The opposition's one successful amendment to the proposed reforms related to the recommittal of votes, which occurs after an MP misses a division on a vote.
Government Leader of the House Anthony Albanese said the opposition's amendment would create “a longer procedural wrangle for the result”.
Under sweeping changes to parliamentary practice, Julia Gillard and her ministers will be banned from waffling on beyond four minutes in question time.
Speaker Harry Jenkins also signalled that he would vacate the chair at will, potentially forcing the Liberal deputy speaker Peter Slipper to give up his vote on key votes.
This would reduce the Coalition's numbers on the floor of the house to 71.
In the first significant decision of the new parliament, the way has also been cleared for prompt debate of private members' bills, such as the Greens same-sex marriage and euthanasia legislation.
A parliamentary budget office will be established, there will be nine hours of private members' business, up from two and a half, 90-second statements will be made by members for the 15 minutes before question time, and an acknowledgement of country will be made before parliamentary prayers.
The changes to parliamentary rules deliver on an all-party agreement on parliamentary reform reached on September 6 in response to pressure from independent MPs.
Mr Oakeshott, who drove the parliamentary reforms, hailed the reforms for giving a more prominent role for private members' business, saying that power had shifted away from the executive and back to the parliament.
“The floor of the house should matter, we saw yesterday it did matter, and I hope it will see us...engage in a public policy debate that makes us stronger,” he said.
“We have agreements with government...the spirit and intent is that private members' bills will be voted on.”
Mr Oakeshott urged MPs to watch votes on private members' legislation, saying “we should have the strength of character to deal with the uncomfortable,” adding that even if someone came into the chamber with a “strangle all cats” legislation, it should be voted on.
Mr Albanese said the government was committed to the reforms, welcoming the prominence that private members' business would enjoy.
He also reiterated the government's commitment to the agreement with the Greens, which allows for dedicated time for debate and voting on private members' bills, and for the House of Representatives to debate private senators' bills within six sitting days.
The Leader of the House also said the bill selection committee would be comprised of “an additional non-government member from the opposition, an additional government member and an additional member of the crossbenches”.
Leader of Opposition business Christopher Pyne said Labor had been dragged kicking and screaming to the parliamentary reform process.
He noted that the parliamentary budget office had not been codified in the revised standing orders, while other reforms had been implemented by reinterpretation of existing standing orders.
But he welcomed the reforms, which give more questions to opposition and crossbench MPs, and more opportunities for matters of public importance.
And Mr Katter, who sided with the Coalition after the election, backed Labor on an amendment to the reform agreement.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...rding-to-sources/story-fn59niix-1225931763187