Division
The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2026-03-12.170.1) to read the bill for a second time. In other words, they voted to agree with the main idea of the bill. This means they can now discuss it in more detail. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bill homepage](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r7447), the bill: > *Amends the Migration Act 1958 to enable temporary restrictions on the arrival of certain classes of temporary visa holders in Australia, including when events or circumstances outside Australia mean that there is an increased risk that certain classes of temporary visa holders will not depart Australia when their visas cease to be in effect.* The [explanatory memorandum](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fems%2Fr7447_ems_3693e0bf-117f-408a-bcc6-8abfdf540b86%22;rec=0) (which is a document prepared by the party introducing the bill, which is the Government in this case) explains that: > *Currently, the Migration Act does not contain a general power to prevent cohorts of non-citizens who hold visas that are in effect from traveling to Australia, including in circumstances where that travel may present a risk to Australia’s national interest,. Although there are powers under the Migration Act to cancel a non-citizen’s visa in those circumstances, those powers are only capable of being exercised in relation to individual non-citizens. The existing powers are therefore resource intensive, and are not suited to responding at scale to events occurring overseas where it is appropriate and in the national interest to limit or prevent travel to Australia for current holders of a temporary visa who are outside of Australia.* > > *This may include during periods of international conflict or other rapid international developments that place unsustainable
Senate, 2026-03-12. affirmative: ayes 24, noes 11.
Question
The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2026-03-12.170.1) to read the bill for a second time. In other words, they voted to agree with the main idea of the bill. This means they can now discuss it in more detail. ### What does this bill do? According to the [bill homepage](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/r7447), the bill: > *Amends the Migration Act 1958 to enable temporary restrictions on the arrival of certain classes of temporary visa holders in Australia, including when events or circumstances outside Australia mean that there is an increased risk that certain classes of temporary visa holders will not depart Australia when their visas cease to be in effect.* The [explanatory memorandum](https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:legislation/billhome/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fems%2Fr7447_ems_3693e0bf-117f-408a-bcc6-8abfdf540b86%22;rec=0) (which is a document prepared by the party introducing the bill, which is the Government in this case) explains that: > *Currently, the Migration Act does not contain a general power to prevent cohorts of non-citizens who hold visas that are in effect from traveling to Australia, including in circumstances where that travel may present a risk to Australia’s national interest,. Although there are powers under the Migration Act to cancel a non-citizen’s visa in those circumstances, those powers are only capable of being exercised in relation to individual non-citizens. The existing powers are therefore resource intensive, and are not suited to responding at scale to events occurring overseas where it is appropriate and in the national interest to limit or prevent travel to Australia for current holders of a temporary visa who are outside of Australia.* > > *This may include during periods of international conflict or other rapid international developments that place unsustainable
How each member voted
Per-member votes are not present in this static export. Consult the original division record.
Related bills
Only formal divisions leave a per-member record. A procedural vote is not necessarily a vote for or against a bill.