Senate Division 3 · 25 Mar 2026

National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 - in Committee - Government response

Negatived 14 aye · 29 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted against an amendment introduced by Queensland Senator Larissa Waters (Greens), which means it was unsuccessful..

What does this amendment do?

Senator Waters explained that:

This amendment would require the government to actually respond to the recommendations of the commissioner that this bill is establishing as an independent statutory position. The bill allows the commissioner to seek information from governments to inform her reports and recommendations, but there is nothing in the bill to compel the government to actually respond to those recommendations. I think that is tragic and I think it is very easily fixed. The optimist in me thought it was an oversight; however, it seems to be by design, and I think that is heartbreaking. On a day when we are doing a good thing, to establish a commissioner to look into the needs of First Nations young kids, why the backhand to say, 'Yeah, but we're not actually going to be compelled to respond to your recommendations'?

Amendment text

(1) Clause 16, page 13 (after line 19), at the end of the clause, add:

Government response

(4) If a report given to the Minister under subsection (2) sets out one or more recommendations to the Commonwealth Government:

(a) as soon as practicable after receiving the report, the Minister must cause to be prepared a statement setting out:

(i) the Commonwealth Government's response to each of the recommendations; and

(ii) if the Commonwealth Government has not accepted a recommendation—the reasons for not accepting the recommendation; and

(b) the Minister must cause copies of the statement to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the report is given to the Minister.

Context written by They Vote For You volunteers (ODbL), reproduced unchanged.

Committee of the whole: The Senate examines a bill in detail as a committee of the whole. Divisions at this stage decide specific amendments to the bill's text.

Related bills

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	2	23
Australian Greens	11	1
Liberal–National Coalition	0	3
Pauline Hanson's One Nation	0	2
Independent	1	0

Every vote

Divisions this sitting day

Every division the Senate held that day, in order; the one on this page is marked.

Division 1 Bills — National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026; Second Reading Negatived Senate 13–29
Division 2 Bills — National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026; Second Reading Carried Senate 38–25
Division 3 National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 - in Committee - Government response Negatived Senate 14–29
Division 4 National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and another - Third Reading - Pass the bills Carried Senate 37–22

National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 - in Committee - Government response

Related bills

By party

Every vote

AYE (14)

NO (29)

Divisions this sitting day