Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024

The majority voted against an amendment introduced by Queensland Senator Larissa Waters (Greens), which means it failed. This amendment would have added the text below to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill).

Amendment text

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".