The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: In respect of the Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Air Cargo) Bill 2011, the question is that the amendment circulated by Senator Xenophon be agreed to. Senator Xenophon's circulated amend ment — At the end of the motion add: b ut the Se nate calls on the Government to initiate a review of: (a) current issues regarding airport security and policing, building on the report by the Rt Hon Sir John Wheeler, DL, An Independent Review of Airport Security and Policing for the Government of Australia in 2005; and (b) progress on the implementation of the recommendations made in the 2005 report. Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr Deputy President, I raise a point of order. I have no idea what Senator Xenophon's amendment is because I have not heard him argue it. Is there a provision to allow the chamber to actually listen to and understand what the amendment might be before we are required to vote on it? The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. The Senate resolved yesterday that this would be the course of action today. Question put: That the amendment (Senator Xenophon's) be agreed to. A division having been called and the bells being rung— Senator Faulkner: Mr Deputy President, I rarely take points of order in divisions, but can I ask you to address the standing order on a senator who calls for a division and votes one way on the voices and now—and I have to name Senator Macdonald—is voting another way as the Senate divides. You might care to address that in the standing orders. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Faulkner. You are correct about the standing order provision. Senator Macdonald, if that is in fact correct you will need to vote the way you called. Senator Joyce, are you raising a point of order? Senator Joyce: Mr Deputy President, in light of the circumstance that this is all being guillotined and we are trying at this point in time to deal with truncated amendments, it is quite obvious that at this juncture there is not the capacity for us to be fully across the question. It is the Labor Party which truncated all this and it is that which is turning this into a complete and utter farce. Senator Chris Evans: On the point of order, Mr Deputy President: to facilitate the smooth running of the Senate, I suggest that you call the vote again so that senators are clear what they are voting on. Senator Brandis: On the point of order, Mr Deputy President: it should be said that the reason for this confusion is that nobody in this chamber knows what the amendment is. The guillotine procedure imposed on this chamber by the Labor Party and the Greens makes it impossible for senators—government, opposition or crossbench—to be aware of what the amendment is upon which we are voting. Senator Williams: On the point of order, Mr Deputy President: Senator Xenophon and Senator Madigan were the two voices clearly heard back here. Government senators interjecting— Senator Williams: Yes, they were. Ask them yourself. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I may be able to assist the chamber, if the chamber would allow me to. Prior to Senator Faulkner raising a point of order, I was actually going to put the question again because there was a lot of noise and confusion and the chamber was exceptionally disorderly. At the expiry of the one minute, there were over 14 senators standing in the centre of the chamber. On that basis, I am going to put the question again and call for the voices prior to calling for the division. Senator Macdonald, if you think you are going to assist the chamber, I will hear you. Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr Deputy President, I am speaking on the point of order raised by Senator— A government senator: You should be speaking from your seat. Senator Ian Macdonald: I am sorry; I have been told by a Labor Party person I should be speaking from my seat. Mr Deputy President, I am speaking on the point of order raised by Senator Brandis. Senator Brandis is absolutely correct—how can we know what we are voting on in this chamber when we do not have any discussion, any argument in favour or against the amendment or any argument in favour or against the bill? How can we possibly do this in a situation where the Labor Party and the Greens have gagged every piece of debate, every piece of argument on four or five bills we are required to vote on tonight? Senator Bob Brown: On the point of order, Mr Deputy President: the standing orders are quite clear about this. There will be a series of votes, as we are seeing here, without debating the matter. Senator Ian Macdonald: Why don't you guillotine it? You were paid for this, were you—$1.6 million? Senator Bob Brown: That is the guillotine; you are right, Senator Macdonald. There were 116 such occurrences during the years in which the Howard government was in office and this contention was— Opposition senators interjecting— Senator Bob Brown: Just like this. And we understood the rules. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: What is your point of order, Senator Brown? Senator Bob Brown: The point of order is that Senator Macdonald did call one way and is now trying to vote another. I agree with your ruling that the vote should be put again so that he can get himself out of the mess that he is in. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I call Senator Joyce, but I will not take any further points of order after you, Senator Joyce. Then I will put the question again. Senator Joyce: On the point of order, Mr Deputy President: I have passage of this from the other place and quite obviously it is completely and utterly impossible. To try and deal with this in this manner is the height of difficulty because we really have no idea. Senator Evans has graciously said, as I suggested, that we should have the vote again and I think that is what should be done. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I am going to put the question again. Senator Fifield, will this really assist? Senator Fifield: I think it may, Mr Deputy President. It is not a point of order, but just a suggestion. Government senators interjecting— Senator Fifield: Okay, I will call it a point of order, then, if that satisfies Labor members. It may— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Fifield, it would assist the chamber if I put the question again and I will do so unless you have new material that I have not been made aware of. Senator Fifield: Senator Xenophon could perhaps seek leave to briefly explain what his amendment is. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Xenophon, I gather you are going to seek leave to make a statement? Senator Xenophon: Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short explanation. Leave not granted. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I propose now to put an end to this matter. I am going to put the question again and I will call for the voices and see whether we need to divide. In respect of the Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Air Cargo) Bill 2011, the question is that the amendment circulated by Senator Xenophon on revised sheet 7155 be agreed to. A division having been called and the bells being rung— Senator Ian Macdonald: On a point of order, Mr Deputy President: am I allowed to move that so much of standing orders be set aside as would prevent Senator Xenophon from explaining for two minutes what his amendment is about? The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Not during a division. You cannot do that whilst we are waiting for a division to be determined. The Senate divided. [22:22] (The Deputy President—Senator Parry) Question negatived. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Could I just ask senators to listen carefully to the next few resolutions so that we have less confusion. Please listen to the resolutions. Senator Bernardi: Mr Deputy President, I do not want to be obstructive to the Senate, given the lateness of the hour, but I was not alone in hearing Senator Feeney call in favour of the ayes, and that means there were three for the ayes and he refused to vote with the ayes—that is how he called it. When you questioned Senator Feeney with respect to this, he did not provide an answer. He grinned, he may have blushed and looked embarrassed, but he did not deny the fact. I ask you to call upon Senator Feeney to explain why he made a call for the ayes and then voted with the noes. Senator Feeney: Can I just have it noted, Mr Deputy President, that I did not call for a division. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Can we now proceed to the business before the chair.