Governor-General Amendment (Salary) Bill 2019

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Victorian Senator Derryn Hinch (Derryn Hinch's Justice Party), which means it failed. The motion would have added the words set out below to the usual second reading motion "That this bill be now read a second time," which is parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. In other words, this motion would have left the bill unchanged but made certain other requests of the Government.

Motion text

At the end of the motion, add:

", but the Senate:

(a) notes public concerns that former Governors-General are entitled to receive allowances even if they have engaged in serious misconduct; and

(b) calls upon the Government to introduce legislation to amend the Governor- General Act 1974 to end the payment of allowances to Governors-General who have engaged in serious misconduct."