Committees – Selection of Bills Committee – Report
Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (11:22): I move:
At the end of the motion, add:
“and, in respect of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Amendment (Vaccine Indemnity) Bill 2023, the bill be referred immediately to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 18 March 2024”
I seek leave to make a short statement.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for five minutes.
Senator BABET: Earlier today we debated in this place my private senator’s bill and what a debate it was, ladies and gents. It is important that my bill is referred to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee. This bill deserves due process. The elected members in this place deserve more information on the issue of indemnity. The legal and financial implications must be fully examined prior to my bill progressing to a vote. In the interests of transparency and accountability, I seek the support of everyone here in this place to refer this bill to committee. It is very important. Obviously, we have seen what has happened over the last three years and we have to do our bit to set things right, thank you.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The question before the Senate is the amendment moved by Senator Babet.
Question—That the amendment be agreed to—put.
The Senate divided—
AYES, 39
Senators—
Antic Duniam McKenzie Ruston Babet Faruqi McKim Scarr Bragg Hanson-Young McLachlan Shoebridge Brockman Henderson O’Sullivan Smith, Dean Cadell* Hughes Paterson Thorpe Canavan Hume Pocock, David Tyrrell Cash Kovacic Rennick Van Colbeck Lambie Reynolds Waters Cox Liddle Rice Whish-Wilson Davey McGrath Roberts
NOES, 16
Senators—
Ayres Gallagher O’Neill Urquhart* Brown Green Payman Walsh Chisholm Grogan Polley Watt Farrell McAllister Stewart White * Tellers
Question agreed to
