VOTE DETAILS:  

The SECOND Reading vote in the Legislative Council was 20 in favour and 18 against.
Vote summary:

* Only ONE Coalition MP, Bruce Atkinson, voted FOR the Bill – on the basis that these things were already occurring.  ALL others voted AGAINST it!

* Two Labor MLCs voted AGAINST the Bill - Nazih Elasmar and Adem Somyurek.

All others Labor MLCs voted FOR the Bill.

* The THREE GREENS voted FOR the Bill.

* One Liberal MLC, Edward O’Donohue was absent due to the birth of his daughter.

* One Labor MLC, Theo Theophanous was absent for the vote due to current police investigations.

Bob Smith, a conservative Labor voted for the  it because Senator Conroy put pressure on him to vote for the Bill because of the Senator’s surrogate daughter! He also said he had met some lesbian mothers in the foyer!

Hansard Vote:

to see the Hansard vote - second reading vote at P 34.

The vote to send the Bill to the Legislation Committee is on P 37.
 
BILL SENT TO the Legislation Committee

The Legislative Council then voted to send the Bill to the Legislation Committee... for analysis and critique of its provisions! One aspect that has received criticism from supporters of the overall bill is the requirement for people accessing ART to have a police check.

The Legislation Committee Members are Bruce Atkinson (Liberal - Chair), Candy Broad (ALP - Deputy Chair, Andrea Coote (Liberal), Damian Drum (Nationals), Jenny Mikakos (ALP), Sue Pennicuik (Greens), Jaala Pulford.

The Legislation Committee has to report back by 2 December 2008 – when a THIRD and FINAL vote is expected.
 
No Public Input to Committee

There is NO provision for public input to the Legislation Committee.

During the Legislative Council debate on sending it to the Committee, Mr Bernie Finn MLC said
“If the government has got it wrong, it should withdraw the bill and it should get it right. What it should be doing is having a public process that enables members of the public to make a contribution to this bill, because I have no doubt in my mind that the overwhelming majority of Victorians have absolutely no idea what the bill is about. They certainly had no input into its being put together, and they will have no input if this motion is passed. If this bill is duckshoved off to the Legislation Committee, the public of Victoria will again have no say in what it should be.”
 
Media report

Isabella's story sways a conservative - The Age, 14 Nov 2008.
 

Action - Please contact ALL your FIVE MLCs

There is still time to ACT – it is VITAL that EVERONE speaks to/ writes to/ contacts their FIVE MLCs.
ALL MLCs will have to opportunity for a final vote in December.  

PLEASE be VERY POLITE! Since MLCs have already voted once, we need to be polite and respectful in approaching them.
for your MLC details – type in your address in the grey box and click ‘Search’.

For a list of all MLCs

* If your MLC voted AGAINST then Bill – please encourage them to continue their opposition to the Bill.

* If your MLC voted FOR the Bill, ask them to re-consider the issues and vote against the Bill at the third reading.

Small delegations – with a local minister and 2 or 3 people who know about the Bill and the issues – would be very helpful. Contact us if you’d like assistance to organise these.