Voting — Taxation Principles Reporting Bill—Correction, Leave Declined

Point of order, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I’ve been made aware of an error in the vote on the Taxation Principles Reporting Bill second reading, where the National Party opposed the amendments recommended by the Finance and Expenditure Committee but the motion that the bill be read a second time was passed on the voices. I seek leave for the vote to be recorded for National as 30 votes opposed on the substantive motion.

DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leave is sought to hold a party vote on the Taxation Principles Reporting Bill. Is there any objection?

Just objection—speaking to that point of order. My understanding is that we would need—

DEPUTY SPEAKER: I take it there is objection.

SHANAN HALBERT: Yes.

DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is objection.

Point of order. I think the member, Mr Halbert, was going to inform the House that a correction of the record in this way is not possible. But actually, the House is the architect of its own destiny, and I think the way in which you put the leave was much better than I had sought it, which was to simply hold a party vote. That’s still within the prerogative of the House, and I just want to make sure that Mr Halbert is aware of that before declining leave.

Well, what I’ll allow you to do is to ask for leave. Leave is sought. Is there any objection? There is.

Point of order, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The ACT Party seeks leave to also amend their vote in the final vote for the Taxation Principles Reporting Bill as well, if we may, please, Mr Speaker.

Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is objection.

Point of order. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the House when the points of order around this first occurred, but my understanding is that my colleague was clarifying to you, Mr Speaker, that because the bill has been decided, a vote can’t be taken but an option might be to record the other parties’ opposition within the Journals. I’m advised that that’s the appropriate way—because the vote has been decided—that this should be dealt with.

I’ll just take some advice on that. Just in relation to the point of order, I’m advised that that is not an option, because there was no party vote. However, since there seems to be a desire to see a way through this, what I’ll do is ask the Hon Michael Woodhouse to put that request again.

I seek leave for a party vote to be held on the Taxation Principles Reporting Bill second reading.

Is there any objection? There is objection.