Pairing Arrangements

Mr BROWN (Playford) (15:21): I was not intending to speak today and I am not on the list but, given what we just heard from the minister, I felt that I needed to. When I first became the Opposition Whip in this place, it was a duty that I took on very solemnly for my caucus colleagues and one that I have always tried to do with the utmost honour and respect for this place. One of the things that I am required to do is, when the bells ring and a vote takes place, to check to make sure that pairing arrangements have been properly adhered to.

Pairing, whilst it does not exist in standing orders, is very important for this place. It is steeped in tradition and, in my view, it is steeped in honour. I freely admit to the house that one of the things that I have always been frightened of every time those bells ring is that we will accidentally renege on a pair arrangement with the government. I would regard it as something that would show that I have failed in all my responsibilities.

So, when it came time to suspend standing orders, which the government was keen to do to try to protect one of their ministers, I immediately went over, as I normally do, and spoke to the Government Whip. I said to him, 'Jon Gee, the member for Taylor, is paired, right?', to which he replied yes. I then walked over and stood where I normally stand and waited for the vote to finish.

Later on—as you may recall, Mr Speaker, I was removed from the chamber for a variety of reasons—I came back in and waited to get the pair sheet that I normally receive from Hansard to tell me who the government had paired. Lo and behold, there was no pair sheet. I checked the list of people who voted, and I can tell this house that I must have checked that voting sheet six different times because I was convinced that I had it wrong. There was no way the government would have reneged on that pairing arrangement but, lo and behold, I found that that was indeed what they had done.

The minister talks about how he wants to restore relations. Well, relations can be restored. There is only one thing required: admit you got it wrong. Admit you did the wrong thing. You tell this house—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr BROWN: —that you broke the arrangement and then we will talk. Be the big man. Why do you not just admit that you got it wrong?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Playford has the call.

Mr BROWN: You can come up with reasons afterwards as much as you like, but you know you did the wrong thing. Just admit it to this house. We on this side of the chamber are compassionate about people who need to go out of the house for a variety of reasons, but we are not the ones who broke the arrangement. That was you and on your head it should lie. All you need to do is just say you did the wrong thing and then we will talk. That is all. It is just your pride that is preventing it from happening. You are the one—you are responsible, not anyone else.

I know it is unparliamentary to refer to people in the chamber or not, so let's just say that someone else is not here. You are the one who is here, and I am glad you are here, because you can listen to what I am saying. You are responsible—no-one else—just you, minister. So do the right thing and then we will talk, and do not come in here trying to fill everyone's head with fairy stories about who is right and who is wrong.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition and the Minister for Education can leave for 15 minutes under 137A. They can cool down outside.

The honourable members for Croydon and Morialta having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development has the call.