Abbott 'wrecks' Simon Crean's Press Club speech by
ruling out vote pairing. This is on the first day of the
new parliament ! ! !
- AAP
- September 28, 2010
REGIONAL Australia Minister Simon Crean has had to put off a National Press Club speech because the opposition has rejected his request for a voting pair, so he can leave parliament.
Mr Crean was due to give a major speech on regional Australia at the venue close to Parliament House (Half a kilometre away) tomorrow but with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott now taking a harder line on pairing, he won't be able to.
The speech has been booked in and advertised since last Tuesday.
Under pairing arrangements, each side of politics agrees to put aside a vote when their opposite number has to absent themselves from parliament in order to maintain the balance of power in the house.
Mr Crean's new portfolio will take charge of millions in new spending for the regions, resulting from Labor's negotiations with rural independents to form a minority government.
He said it was an important opportunity to outline his plans.
"Tony Abbott is not interested in the regions, he is just interested in being a wrecker," he said in a statement.
Is this what we the Australian people can look forward to for the next three years, if so it is a sad day for Australian politics.
"I accepted the invitation to the press club only after the signed bipartisan agreement on parliamentary reform and the so-called group hug.(this refers to a joint hug when they signed a written agreement with all parties)
"Tony Abbott is not only prepared to rip up agreements but to irresponsibly take a hardline on pairing to cause maximum destruction."
The Opposition says it is cracking down on pairing because it wants to stop senior Government members being absent from Parliament unless it is in the national interest.(they now consider telling the people about the new ministry not in the nations interest)
Mr Crean says he will make himself available to give his speech at the same time next week, when Parliament is not sitting.
So what has Tony Abbott gained, nothing, he has made himself look obtrusive in the extreme.
TONY ABBOTT"S HELPING HAND
This is the attitude of a future leader of our nation
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