Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appears unlikely to grant a parliamentary pair for Labor backbencher Craig Thomson to attend the birth of his child.

The Opposition is demanding Mr Thomson make a statement to Parliament about allegations he misused a Health Services Union credit card to pay for prostitutes.

Mr Thomson denies any wrongdoing, and New South Wales Police say they have found no evidence to warrant a formal investigation.

His wife is heavily pregnant, but if she goes into labour from next week when Parliament will be debating the Government's carbon tax bills, Mr Abbott will not promise Mr Thomson will be allowed to attend the birth.

"Only in the most extraordinary circumstances will pairs be offered for the carbon tax vote," Mr Abbott said.

"This is by far the most important vote that the Australian Parliament will take in the current term of Parliament, and the first duty of members of Parliament is to be in the Parliament when critical votes are taken," he said.

But Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she is amazed the Opposition will not grant the pair and that she hopes Mr Abbott will see reason.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-08/abbott-warns-thomson-may-not-be-excused-for-child27s-birth/2877182

Abbott only sees reason when he's kicked up the arse...

I know many catholics in the Labor Party and the Liberal party... Most of them if not all abhor George Pell. Tony Abbott loves George Pell, the Cardinal of Sydney who is one of the most rabid conservative catholic priest on earth — who has managed not to be excommunicated yet. The pope listens to the science of global warming. George Pell thinks it's shit. Tony Abbott, a devout believer of Pell's rabid catholic conservatism, also thinks it's shit. Thus all he does when presenting a political "alternative" to the "carbon tax" to which he acts like an unforgiving demon — contrary to specific teaching of his guru jesus christ — is porkie on a grand scale. Lies. BIG LIES. Only LIES. Not only that, Tony is the most selfish man on earth to suit his desire of conquest while betraying the basics of his religion, if he ever believes in it... I wonder if he does. I'd say he does not believe in his "religion"... Tony is a borderline sociopath, blinded by political power.

The Opposition has backed down on threats to prevent Labor backbencher Craig Thomson attending the birth of his child by not granting him a parliamentary pair.

The about face comes as Liberal Senator George Brandis says he will refer new allegations against Mr Thomson to New South Wales police.

Mr Thomson's vote will be vital for the minority Government to pass its carbon pricing legislation, which will be introduced into Parliament next week.

A pair, when two members of opposing parties do not vote on a bill, is traditionally granted where a member of one party cannot attend Parliament due to other commitments.

But Opposition house leader Christopher Pyne said yesterday Mr Thomson would not be granted a pair during the upcoming vote on the carbon price, demanding the Government schedule the vote at a time when Mr Thomson would be available.

And this morning, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott would not guarantee that Mr Thomson would be allowed to take leave from Parliament.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. No request has come in," Mr Abbott told Channel 9.

"Obviously the birth of a child is a very important event, but so is the carbon tax."

The Government cried foul over the issue, with Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten saying the birth of a child should not be the source of political advantage.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-09/opposition-backs-down-on-pairing-threat/2878586

 

Don't trust Abbott on this one... (or any other issues). His words are worth peanuts...

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has agreed to give Labor MP Craig Thomson a parliamentary "pair" to attend the birth of his second child.

Yesterday Mr Abbott played hardball over the carbon tax debate, affirming the Coalition's refusal to grant pairs to Labor MPs for anything but the most extraordinary of circumstances.

Visiting Mr Thomson's NSW central coast electorate of Dobell yesterday, Mr Abbott was asked whether that could be relaxed for Mr Thomson to attend the birth of his child - an event which could fall during the protracted carbon tax debate.

"We have made it crystal clear that only in the most extraordinary circumstances will pairs be offered for the carbon tax vote," Mr Abbott told reporters.

"This is by far the most important vote that the Australian Parliament will take in the current term of Parliament and the first duty of members of Parliament is to be in the Parliament when critical votes are taken."

Government frontbencher Anthony Albanese said today that Mr Abbott's decision to grant Mr Thomson a pair to attend the birth of his child was a sign Mr Abbott had bowed to public pressure.

"Tony Abbott has been dragged kicking and screaming towards decency," he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/abbott-agrees-to-pair-for-thomson-20110909-1k1k6.html#ixzz1XRIbk6k7

 

Don't trust Abbott on this one, until the name of the "paired" MP is announced and the person is put to pasture for the duration of the "pairing"... (don't trust Abbott on any other issues either). His words are worth peanuts...

from Annabel Crabb:

Why is politics so nasty and crappy at the moment? Why does it feel so rootless and shallow? Why did Canberra this week feel like a grudge match between the Visigoths and the Zombies? What the hell is going on with the people we elected to the 150 seats of the House of Representatives a year-and-a-bit ago?

Do you feel like you've been asking this question for a while now? Me too. I've been covering politics since 1999 and I've never, until this year, ever sat in the press gallery, looked down and thought, "I actually don't think I can bear another second of this."

I think I've worked out what is so frustrating. It's not that the parties can't find agreement on anything. It's that they're not even looking.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-16/crabb-wiggling-out-of-agreement-one-policy-at-a-time/2902770

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Gus: dear Annabel, I have two people to blame for all this nonsense: Tony Abbott (little shit, Tonicchio, ultra ritewingnut extraordinaire, looney tunes, mad, idiot, borderline sociopath) and Uncle Rupe (anything for a buck, death to the NBN, kill anti-siphoning laws) for supporting him... End of soul searching. Look no further. See? Piece of cake.

TONY Abbott will be out of the country tomorrow when the carbon pricing measures he dedicated himself to blocking become law.

The Opposition Leader this evening revealed he will fly to Britain to attend the International Democratic Union meeting of conservative political leaders.

He was scheduled to fly out tonight.

Tomorrow at noon the carbon pricing scheme is expected to be passed into law by the Senate, marking one of Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s biggest accomplishments.

Mr Abbott has said his chief task was to stop what he called the “toxic tax”.

But he is now seeking inside information on Europe’s economic woes from his host at the meeting, Tory British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/carbon-showdown-but-abbott-takes-great-big-new-trip/story-e6frfkvr-1226188045485#ixzz1d0gilrlx
see toon at top...

From David Penberthy at the Murdoch press...

The funny thing is that Tony Abbott himself acknowledged the legitimacy of this Government himself on the very day that it was formed, saying that this was how our system of democracy worked, that someone had to run the country, and if it was going to be Gillard, then so be it. And since that day, with increasing shrillness and recklessness, he has acted as if he’s the spokesman for the disenfranchised and dispossessed, the little people who don’t have a voice, even though our excellent system of government ensures they all get a vote in a year’s time, if not sooner. 

Abbott is the consummate whatever it takes political operator. As the architect of the no vote at the republican referendum he deliberately trashed his own profession to save the Queen. He attacked the model as “the politicians’ republic”. He said it would give new powers to Canberra, and urged voters that if they didn’t understand it they shouldn’t vote for it, because if they did understand it, they wouldn’t vote for it. It was a simple but effective message – don’t trust the politicians.

His critics in the Liberal Party say this helps explain why he’s happy to stand at a rally surrounded by people who think Julia Gillard is a witch and that minority government is a communist plot. It isn’t of course. Indeed minority government is the best thing that’s ever happened to Tony Abbott because it has set him up to lead a majority government for a very long time. You know, when we have that democratic election thing. Someone should remind him and his crazy mates about that.

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/abbott-trashes-the-parliament-in-order-save-it/

 

Yes David... nothing new here... See toon and story at top...

 

The Federal Opposition has rejected a request from the Turnbull Government to allow 'pairing' of votes in the new Parliament, adding an extra degree of difficulty for the Government with a one-seat majority.

Key points:

• Labor adamant on testing Government's one-seat majority
• Christopher Pyne says pairing crucial for MPs during family emergencies
• Tony Burke says pairing is unusual in Parliament

Pairing would see a Labor MP abstain from a vote in the House of Representatives, when a Government MP cannot attend for a vote.

Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke told the ABC's PM program Labor would not allow the arrangement.

Mr Burke said Labor would test the Government's one-seat majority every time an MP was away.

"Malcolm Turnbull has told his own party room and told the Australian public he believes his government has a working majority in its own right," he said.

"He's said they've got a working majority, he's said this is not a problem, and so we'll hold him to his word."

Mr Burke's Government counterpart, Christopher Pyne, has labelled the move as "Dickensian".

Mr Pyne has called on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to intervene, telling the ABC politicians should be able to have time off for illness if needed.

"In the situation where a member of parliament is ill or in hospital or has a family emergency, pairs have always been granted," he said.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-16/no-pairs-opposition-to-play-hard-ball-in-new-parliament/7748548

--------------

 

Of course Pyne talks bullshit. Read from top. Tony Abbott was a little shit in opposition — and in power even with a big majority... And Barnaby Joyce was in on it as well, now he says it's a low life act...

 

Christopher Pyne isn't happy with Labor playing hard-ball over pairings in the new Parliament. Sydney bureau chief Ross Jones laments the minister's appalling memory.

Manager of Government Business Christopher Pyne is not happy with Labor, not happy at all.

On 16 August 2016, the ABC reported:

'The Federal Opposition has rejected a request from the Turnbull Government to allow "pairing" of votes in the new Parliament, adding an extra degree of difficulty for the Government with a one-seat majority.'

Pyne described Labor’s move as "Dickensian" telling ABC Radio:

“Labor is either acting out of a breathtaking ignorance, or a malicious and mendacious approach to the parliament."

But the word "breathtaking" better describes the Coalition’s hypocrisy.

Remember 2010? The start of the 43rd Parliament?

In Ashbygate, the plot to destroy Australia’s Speaker, I wrote:

The 43rd Australian Parliament formally commenced on 29 September 2010. The numbers were tight. The positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker needed to be voted on. Traditionally, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are from opposing political parties, that is, if the Speaker is Labor then the Deputy will be drawn from the ranks of the Coalition.

In the Australian House of Representatives, the Speaker is expected to be impartial and does not vote in ordinary divisions of the House. The Speaker does hold a casting vote if a motion is tied, but effectively the political party to which he or she belongs loses a vote.

During the negotiations for government, both Labor and the Coalition agreed the Speaker would be "paired" so that, because the Speaker couldn't vote, one member from the opposing party would also not vote.

Once Labor claimed government, however, the Coalition alleged the whole deal was unconstitutional and reneged.

Harry Jenkins, the Labor Member for Scullin and the Speaker of the 42nd Parliament, was re-elected Speaker unopposed. That left the government with a nervous one-vote margin.

Coalition strategists saw an opening. If the Deputy Speaker could also be drawn from government ranks, then when the Deputy was standing in for the Speaker that would reduce the margin to nil. The Coalition refused to nominate a candidate for Deputy, hoping to force the government to nominate one of its own. But the plan backfired.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the Coalition, Slipper had been in talks with Labor’s leader in the House, Anthony Albanese. Labor nominated Slipper for Deputy and he accepted. The Coalition was caught off guard and, in an anyone but Slipper mood, was forced to nominate Nationals’ MP Bruce Scott. Slipper won the vote 78 to 71, a tally that included five of the six crossbenchers, Bob Katter among them. Slipper was duly installed as deputy-speaker. The media referred to it as an ambush. Tony Abbott was not happy. 

Now, as then, the Coalition’s mendacity has turned and bitten it on the arse.

Plus ça change.

Christopher Pyne is continually lyin'. pic.twitter.com/MPAdkrumQR

— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) August 16, 2016
Read more: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/christopher-the-clown-pynes-pair-despair-conceals-the-coalitions-lies,9370