ABC News Radio

SUBJECTS: Pairing Arragements

E&OE… 

Marius Benson: Christopher Pyne, it is anticipated as a tough parliament ahead next week and the sharp point of difference is whether you will allow a pair for Craig Thomson, who has been surrounded by scandal, the Labor MP for New South Wales, for the birth of his child which may happen during this session.  Have you decided; will you allow Craig Thomson to go to the birth of his child? 

Christopher Pyne: Well, Marius, the reason why this is a difficult parliament is because the minority government experiment has failed and that is why we are getting so many pointy edges, to put it mildly, in question time during the parliamentary week.  In terms of Craig Thomson, there’s no pair required for the carbon tax debate.  All we’re talking about is the carbon tax vote and it’s within the Government’s gift when the carbon tax will be voted on.  If they’re aware that Craig Thomson needs to be with his wife and their new child for the baby’s birth, then they can schedule the carbon tax votes at a time when he’ll be present.  We’ve made that very clear to them for weeks.  There is no surprise to our position.  Pairs for the carbon tax vote will only be for the most exceptional circumstances and we’ve given them due notice of that. 

Benson: Can you just clarify that the most exceptional circumstances, do they include the birth of a child?  Will you allow Craig Thomson to be absent if the birth of his child coincides with a vote in Parliament? 

Pyne: Craig Thomson has not applied for a pair.  This is a hypothetical question.  If he applies for a pair at the time of the carbon tax vote, we will consider it at the time.  The Government would be wise to not schedule the vote when he cannot be there.  If he applies for one, we will look at it on a case by case basis as we always do. 

Benson: You’re being reported as saying Craig Thomson won’t be granted a pair.  Is that your position, or are you saying something different now? 

Pyne: No, I haven’t said that.  And people need to read the transcript of my interview with Ben Fordham yesterday.  I think I’m being quoted selectively in the press.  I haven’t said that.  I’ve said all along that if Craig Thomson applies for a pair then we will consider it at the time. 

Benson: You do seem to be at odds with the party whip Warren Entsch who says that pairs would only be granted in exceptional circumstances, but he says having a baby is an exceptional circumstance. 

Pyne: No, I’m not at odds with Warren Entsch and everyone is parsing and slicing each one of our remarks.  There is no division between me and Warren Entsch on this matter at all. 

Benson: Is politics being played too hard at the moment?  Two weeks ago Tony Abbott blocked Malcolm Turnbull from going to the funeral of his friend Margaret Olley.  Now you’re saying “maybe not” to allow a father to attend the birth of his child.  Is politics taking precedence over humanity on these issues?

Pyne: Marius, the time that Malcolm Turnbull was not allowed to have a pair, or in fact Simon Crean was not allowed to have a pair to go to Margaret Olley’s funeral; of course two other people had pairs.  Kevin Rudd had a pair because he had a heart operation and Jenny Macklin had a pair because she was in the Northern Territory doing important matters to do with the indigenous population there.  Just because some people think we should give a pair and other people don’t doesn’t mean somehow that all pairs have stopped or in fact that politics is somehow being played harder than usual. 

Benson: Christopher Pyne, thank you very much. 

Pyne: It’s a great pleasure Marius, thank you. 

ENDS