Excess Deaths: Senator Babet moves a motion to refer an investigation into excess deaths in Australia – blocked by Labor, the Greens, and Jacqui Lambie

Committees – Community Affairs References Committee – Reference, Wednesday 7 February, 2024

Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (16:07): I move:

That, noting the issue of excess mortality in Australia has not been adequately investigated, the following matters be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 31 July 2024:

(a) Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data showing excess deaths in recent years, with particular reference to:

(i) all-cause provisional mortality data reported by the states and territories to the ABS, and

(ii) the difference between all-cause provisional mortality data for 2021, 2022 and 2023 and the preceding years of 2015 to 2020 (inclusive);

(b) any other identified factors contributing to excess mortality; and

(c) any other related matter.

The Senate divided—

AYES, 30

Senators—
Antic Colbeck McGrath Rennick Askew* Davey McKenzie Reynolds Babet Fawcett McLachlan Roberts Bragg Henderson Nampijinpa Price Ruston Brockman Hughes O’Sullivan Scarr Canavan Hume Paterson Sharma Cash Kovacic Pocock, David Smith, Dean Chandler Liddle

NOES, 35

Senators—
Ayres Green Pocock, Barbara Stewart Brown Grogan Polley Thorpe Chisholm Lambie Pratt Tyrrell Ciccone Lines Rice Urquhart* Cox McAllister Sheldon Walsh Farrell McCarthy Shoebridge Waters Faruqi McKim Smith, Marielle Watt Gallagher O’Neill Steele-John Whish-Wilson Ghosh Payman Sterle

* Tellers
Question negatived.