Senate Division 2 · 14 May 2026

Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 - Second Reading - Refer to Committee

Negatived 27 aye · 34 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted against an amendment introduced by Queensland Senator Matthew Canavan (LNP), which means it failed. The amendment would have changed the wording of the usual second reading motion, which is the "that the bill be read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill).

Amendment text

Omit all words after “That”, substitute “the bill be referred to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 22 June 2026, with particular reference to:

(a) whether the existing Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) powers are genuinely inadequate;

(b) whether the Treasurer’s declaration power is too broad;

(c) whether ACCC exemptions should be disallowable;

(d) whether transparency requirements are strong enough;

(e) whether the retrospective start date is justified;

(f) whether the powers are properly limited in time and scope; and

(g) whether there should be stronger sunset and review mechanisms”.

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

Second reading: The second reading vote decides whether the chamber agrees with the bill in principle. A second reading amendment attaches commentary or conditions to that agreement without changing the bill's text.

Related bills

Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	0	23
Liberal–National Coalition	22	0
Australian Greens	0	11
Pauline Hanson's One Nation	3	0
Independent	1	0
United Australia Party	1	0

Every vote

AYE (27)

NO (34)

Divisions this sitting day

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

Division 1 Business — Consideration of Legislation Carried Senate 31–25
Division 2 Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 - Second Reading - Refer to Committee Negatived Senate 27–34
Division 3 Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Sunset + Retrospective application Negatived Senate 27–34
Division 4 Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Pass the bill Carried Senate 34–27
Division 5 Committees — Selection of Bills Committee; Report Negatived Senate 15–26
Division 6 Committees — Selection of Bills Committee; Report Carried Senate 34–26
Division 7 Committees — Directions to Committees Negatived Senate 7–35
Division 8 Committees — Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Negatived Senate 7–36
Division 9 Budget — Consideration by Estimates Committees Negatived Senate 26–32
Division 10 Committees — Economics References Committee; Reference Negatived Senate 22–31
Division 11 Committees — Economics References Committee; Reference Negatived Senate 23–30