Increasing freedom of political communication
People who support this policy believe that the federal government should increase freedom of political communication in Australia by, for example, protecting people's right to inform others about issues and events in the public interest.
View on They Vote For You →How each party's members voted
Each bar is 100% of a party's current members in the Senate whom They Vote For You places in one of its seven agreement groups for this policy (its own categories, shown as published). Bars show percentages of members, not vote totals; the number beside each bar is how many members that is. Members They Vote For You says haven't cast enough votes on the policy are counted separately, not in the bars.
- Consistently against
- Almost always against
- Generally against
- Mixture
- Generally for
- Almost always for
- Consistently for
Labor
29 members
Liberal
14 members+1 not enough votes
Greens
9 members
Nationals
2 members+1 not enough votes
LNP
2 members
Australia's Voice
1 member
Independent
1 member+1 not enough votes
United Australia
1 member
Jacqui Lambie Network
1 member
Senate President
1 member
Deputy Senate President
1 member
One Nation0 members+3 not enough votes
Party breakdown as a table (number of members in each group)
| Party | Consistently against | Almost always against | Generally against | Mixture | Generally for | Almost always for | Consistently for | Not enough votes | Members in bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 |
| Liberal | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| Greens | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Nationals | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| LNP | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Australia's Voice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| United Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jacqui Lambie Network | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Senate President | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Deputy Senate President | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| One Nation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
All 68 members, by agreement
| Member | Party | Position | Agreement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick McKim (Tasmania) | Greens | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| Mehreen Faruqi (NSW) | Greens | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland) | Greens | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| Barbara Pocock (SA) | Greens | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| David Shoebridge (NSW) | Greens | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria) | Greens | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| Fatima Payman (WA) | Australia's Voice | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania) | Labor | Voted consistently for | 100% |
| Lidia Thorpe (Victoria) | Independent | Voted consistently for | 96% |
| David Pocock (ACT) | Independent | Not enough votes to say | 92% |
| Tyron Whitten (WA) | One Nation | Not enough votes to say | 92% |
| Sean Bell (NSW) | One Nation | Not enough votes to say | 92% |
| Sarah Hanson-Young (SA) | Greens | Voted almost always for | 89% |
| Larissa Waters (Queensland) | Greens | Voted almost always for | 88% |
| Jordon Steele-John (WA) | Greens | Voted generally for | 81% |
| Raff Ciccone (Victoria) | Labor | Voted generally for | 71% |
| Tim Ayres (NSW) | Labor | Voted generally for | 71% |
| Tony Sheldon (NSW) | Labor | Voted generally for | 71% |
| Marielle Smith (SA) | Labor | Voted generally for | 71% |
| Jess Walsh (Victoria) | Labor | Voted generally for | 71% |
| Karen Grogan (SA) | Labor | Voted generally for | 71% |
| Dorinda Cox (WA) | Labor | Voted generally for | 71% |
| Don Farrell (SA) | Labor | Voted generally for | 61% |
| Malcolm Roberts (Queensland) | One Nation | Not enough votes to say | 58% |
| Jenny McAllister (NSW) | Labor | Voted a mixture of for and against | 50% |
| Ralph Babet (Victoria) | United Australia | Voted a mixture of for and against | 50% |
| Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania) | Jacqui Lambie Network | Voted a mixture of for and against | 46% |
| Katy Gallagher (ACT) | Labor | Voted a mixture of for and against | 42% |
| Michaelia Cash (WA) | Liberal | Voted generally against | 40% |
| Nita Green (Queensland) | Labor | Voted generally against | 36% |
| Susan McDonald (Queensland) | Nationals | Voted generally against | 36% |
| Paul Scarr (Queensland) | Liberal | Voted generally against | 36% |
| Carol Brown (Tasmania) | Labor | Voted generally against | 33% |
| Glenn Sterle (WA) | Labor | Voted generally against | 33% |
| Penny Wong (SA) | Labor | Voted generally against | 32% |
| Anthony Chisholm (Queensland) | Labor | Voted generally against | 27% |
| Malarndirri McCarthy (NT) | Labor | Voted generally against | 27% |
| Murray Watt (Queensland) | Labor | Voted generally against | 27% |
| Deborah O'Neill (NSW) | Labor | Voted generally against | 26% |
| Helen Polley (Tasmania) | Labor | Voted generally against | 23% |
| Anne Ruston (SA) | Liberal | Voted generally against | 21% |
| James Paterson (Victoria) | Liberal | Voted generally against | 19% |
| Sue Lines (WA) | Senate President | Voted generally against | 19% |
| James McGrath (Queensland) | LNP | Voted generally against | 17% |
| Bridget McKenzie (Victoria) | Nationals | Voted generally against | 16% |
| Dean Smith (WA) | Liberal | Voted generally against | 16% |
| Richard Colbeck (Tasmania) | Liberal | Voted almost always against | 10% |
| Ross Cadell (NSW) | Nationals | Not enough votes to say | 8% |
| Kerrynne Liddle (SA) | Liberal | Not enough votes to say | 8% |
| Matthew Canavan (Queensland) | LNP | Voted almost always against | 5% |
| Michelle Ananda-Rajah (Victoria) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 5% |
| Andrew Bragg (NSW) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 4% |
| Matt O'Sullivan (WA) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 4% |
| Sarah Henderson (Victoria) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 4% |
| Slade Brockman (WA) | Deputy Senate President | Voted consistently against | 3% |
| Jane Hume (Victoria) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 2% |
| Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Claire Chandler (Tasmania) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Jana Stewart (Victoria) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Dave Sharma (NSW) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Varun Ghosh (WA) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Lisa Darmanin (Victoria) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Josh Dolega (Tasmania) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Richard Dowling (Tasmania) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Corinne Mulholland (Queensland) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Charlotte Walker (SA) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Ellie Whiteaker (WA) | Labor | Voted consistently against | 0% |
| Andrew McLachlan (SA) | Liberal | Voted consistently against | 0% |
Votes that make up this policy
The policy position on each vote. Strong votes count more towards a member's agreement score.
- 14 May 2026 · HousePolicy: AyeSecrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill 2026 - Report from Federation Chamber - Journalism and whistleblowing
- 14 May 2026 · HousePolicy: AyeSecrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill 2026 - Consideration in Detail - Journalism, whistleblowing and independent review
- 14 May 2026 · HousePolicy: AyeSecrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill 2026 - Consideration in Detail - Safety net
- 20 Jan 2026 · SenatePolicy: AyeCombatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Review and lawful political expression
- 20 Jan 2026 · SenatePolicy: AyeCombatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Protected political speech and purpose and application of Act
- 24 Nov 2022 · HousePolicy: NoNational Anti-Corruption Commission Bill 2022 - Consideration in Detail - Journalist activities not corrupt conduct
- 25 Nov 2021 · SenatePolicy: Aye (strong)Regulations and Determinations - Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission Amendment (2021 Measures No. 2) Regulations 2021 - Disallow
- 28 June 2018 · SenatePolicy: Aye (strong)National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Bill 2018 - in Committee - Freedom of speech
- 25 June 2018 · SenatePolicy: AyeMotions - Charitable Organisations - Be wary of adverse impacts of foreign interference laws
- 26 Mar 2015 · SenatePolicy: No (strong)Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2015 - Third Reading - Pass the bill
- 26 Nov 2014 · SenatePolicy: No (strong)Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014 - in Committee - Control orders only if support/facilitation already provided
- 26 Nov 2014 · SenatePolicy: No (strong)Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014 - Third Reading - Pass the bill
- 29 Oct 2014 · SenatePolicy: AyeCounter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - in Committee - Limit who the advocating terrorism offence applies to
- 29 Oct 2014 · SenatePolicy: NoCounter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - Third Reading - Pass the bill
- 28 Oct 2014 · SenatePolicy: NoCounter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 — Second Reading - Agree with the bill's main idea
- 28 Oct 2014 · SenatePolicy: Aye (strong)Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014 - In Committee - Add extra defences to unauthorise disclosure offence
- 25 Sept 2014 · SenatePolicy: Aye (strong)National Security Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014 - in Committee - Remove secrecy provisions
- 25 Sept 2014 · SenatePolicy: No (strong)National Security Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2014 - Third Reading - Pass the bill
- 14 Nov 2013 · SenatePolicy: AyeMotions - Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee Reference - Surveillance
- 13 Sept 2007 · SenatePolicy: Aye (strong)Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Democratic Plebiscites) Bill 2007 - Second Reading - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights