SenateDivision 2 · 14 May 2026

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

Not passed27 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)

Other divisions this sitting day

What the Senate divided on around this vote, in order.

14 May 2026Business — Consideration of LegislationSenate 31–25
14 May 2026Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Sunset + Retrospective applicationSenate 27–34
14 May 2026Competition and Consumer Amendment (Responding to Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 2026 - Limitation of Debate - Pass the billSenate 34–27
14 May 2026Committees — Selection of Bills Committee; ReportSenate 15–26
14 May 2026Committees — Selection of Bills Committee; ReportSenate 34–26
14 May 2026Committees — Directions to CommitteesSenate 7–35
14 May 2026Committees — Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation CommitteeSenate 7–36
14 May 2026Budget — Consideration by Estimates CommitteesSenate 26–32
14 May 2026Committees — Economics References Committee; ReferenceSenate 22–31
14 May 2026Committees — Economics References Committee; ReferenceSenate 23–30