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Political Tracker

4 July 2011 · Division 4

Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test and Other Provisions) Bill 2011

In Committee - Apply to people outside detention
Official title
Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test and Other Provisions) Bill 2011 - In Committee - Apply to people outside detention

Noes in the majority

This says only which side won the vote, because what Aye and No meant here depends on the exact question put in the chamber.

Aye
28
No
34
Not recorded voting
14

“Not recorded voting” is everyone eligible who isn't recorded as Aye or No, for example absent, paired, or presiding.

What was decided

The majority voted against an amendment proposed by Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash.

This amendment aimed to broaden the scope of the Bill to apply to people outside of immigration detention. This would mean that non-citizens outside immigration detention would be impacted by this legislation and could have their visa refused if convicted of an offence.

Background of the bill

This bill amends the Migration Act 1958 to enable the minister to refuse to grant, or to cancel, a visa or temporary safe haven visa when a person has been convicted of a criminal offence:

  • while in immigration detention
  • during an escape from immigration detention
  • following an escape from immigration detention, or
  • for escaping from immigration detention.

It also increases the penalty for the manufacture, possession, use or distribution of weapons by immigration detainees from three to five years imprisonment.

The bill was introduced in response to protests at the Christmas Island Immigration Centre in March 2011 and the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in April 2011.

Summary written by They Vote For You contributors. Read it with the debate

Policies this vote counts towards

How They Vote For You uses this vote when scoring members against each policy.

Votes by party

Both bars use the same scale: number of members.
Aye
28
No
34
Votes by party as a table
PartyAyeNo
Australian Labor Party024
Liberal Party200
Australian Greens09
National Party40
Country Liberal Party10
Deputy Senate President10
Democratic Labor Party10
Independent01
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party10

How each member voted

Aye · 28

No · 34

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