Locked Door Scuffle in Australian Parliament

Liberal MPs apologise for injuring attendant in rush to avoid vote, after being reprimanded - ABC News

In the Australian Parliament, the Speaker suddenly announced that the doors were going to be locked and a vote was going to be taken. Several MPs (members of parliament) rushed out one of the doors that was being closed, pushing the attendant who was closing the doors, who had their arm pushed into the door frame resulting in injury.

Apparently the problem originates from a "defect" in the Australian Parliamentary rules. If a member is present, they do not have a choice not to vote.

During the division of the assembly, they are required to go to one chamber or another, where their presence will be counted as a vote.

It seems an unexpected vote came up and some of the members either did not want to vote, or did not want to be recorded as having individually voted a certain way on the issue (which could hurt their chances of reelection).

In the video, the Speaker is giving them a talking down to, for putting a staff member in danger, causing injury, and being disrespectful, but the real reason probably has just as much to do with the Speaker being unhappy the MPs tried to defy his orders. It's likely the Speaker was trying to use a tactic to force certain members to have to vote over a controversial issue, when he knew several MPs would not want to go on record and vote. (Probably to try to get a bill passed)

 

they are not compeled to vote either yes or no, members can sit infront of the chair and their vote is not counted but they are noted as abstaining. this is the norm when a member is absent from the house for whatever reason, a deal is made that a corrosponding member will sit out the vote (as it is called).

 

That is right. You might have an issue you personally disagree with but it is being pushed by your party - you can abstain