Opposition stuns parliament to vote down fire reform

THE Andrews Government’s controversial bid to break up the CFA has been sensationally derailed after Liberal MPs tricked Labor colleagues into not voting.

The Legislative Council sit an all nighter into Good Friday, the first time Parliament has sat on Good Friday, debating the fire services reform. Picture: Nicole Garmston

THE ANDREWS government’s bid to break up the CFA has been sensationally derailed after the state opposition reneged on a parliamentary deal enabling them to block the legislation.

Two Liberal MPs were granted a pair - when MPs from both sides agree not to vote on a piece of legislation - so they could leave the Legislative Council to observe Good Friday.

But western metro MP Bernie Finn and Northern Metro MP Craig Ondarchie appeared back in the chamber minutes before the vote on the Fire Service Reform Bill, giving Coalition the number to defeat it 19-18.

The Council had a marathon sitting of more than 24 hours, with the government appearing to have the numbers after key cross-bencher Rachel Carling-Jenkins was too sick to vote.

The government said using religion as cover to break the decades-long pairing convention was the highest form of treachery.

Shadow Attorney-General John Pesutto had revealed the Coalition leadership team knew of the ploy but it was ‘proud’ that it had broken the convention to save the CFA.

GOVERNMENT REVIVES DEAL TO SPLIT THE FIRE SERVICES

The government’s reform would split the fire services. Picture: Steve Tanner

The Upper House has never sat on Good Friday before.

The government granted the pairs and sent Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford and Small Business Minister Philip Dalidakis home.

But when a vote was called for the bill to be read a third time, Mr Finn and Mr Ondarchie reappeared in the chamber, defeating the bill.

The Legislative Council in an all-nighter, debating the fire services reform. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Furious Labor Upper House MP Cesar Melhem said the dishonourable Liberal MPs that broke the pair deal had cried ‘crocodile tears’ last night about their religious beliefs.

“If you pair someone for a good reason then you honour that. These people are the most dishonourable people on earth,” Mr Melhem said.

“The Liberal Party should hang their head in shame.”

“If they truly are good Christians the only place waiting for them is Hell.”

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy and emergency services spokesman Brad Battin said in a statement that the Coalition has “voted to protect” CFA volunteers.

“Daniel Andrews tried to sneak through a bill to tear apart our CFA on Good Friday and it has been voted down in the Parliament,” they said.

In a sign the proposed fire services split will became a heated election issue, Mr Guy and Mr Battin said Labor would “reinstate their plans to smash up the CFA” if re-elected later this year.

“In November, the choice couldn’t be clearer,” the pair said.

Gavin Jennings during the debate. Picture: Nicole Garmston

It was the first time Parliament has sat on Good Friday. Picture: Nicole Garmston

After the vote, leader of the government in the upper house Gavin Jennings attempted to calm his MPs as they hurled angry remarks across the chamber.

“You are a fraud, Mr Ondarchie, you are a fraud,” one MP shouted.

But Mr Jennings told them “no, no, stop it, stop it.”

Mr Jennings said the treacherous opposition leadership knew about the ploy to defeat the Bill.

He said the Coalition had used an MPs religious observance as a cover for a dirty trick to deny firefighters presumptive rights to cancer compensations.

“I have no doubt the Liberal leadership knew.

“The smugness on the faces of a number of key people in the Liberal party was palpable.

“But what was also palpable was the shame of other members of the Liberal Party who knew what they have done was fundamentally wrong.”

Mr Jennings said Upper House MP Craig Ondarchie had begged with the government to allow him to be with his family on the holiest days of the Christian calendar.

“He preached to us and prayed in front of us.”

“If he has a skerrick of sincerity he must be feeling devastated that he was part of this con trick to breach convention,’’ Mr Jennings said.

Mr Jennings said the government would attempt to bring the Bill back through the Legislative Council.

But it is unclear if they would allowed to do and may have to start the process again.

Labor whip Jaclyn Symes said breaching of the pair conventions would have ‘huge ramifications’ on the running of Parliament.

COMMISSION CALLS FOR SWIFT APPEAL PROCESS IN FIRE SERVICES STORM

Liberal MPs Bernie Finn had earlier this morning requested a pair. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

A number of Labor MPs, of both Houses, have tweeted that the move was “shameful”.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula said it was “totally unprecedented”, while Families Minister Jenny Mikakos claimed: “the Libs demonstrated today that their word even when quoting the Bible counts for zero”.

The pairing backflip also stunned members of the crossbench who now say they “cannot trust” their dealings with the Liberal Party in the future.

“This is ball tampering of the highest order,” said Reason MP Fiona Patten.

“This is just dirty and now I cannot take them at their word.”

She said all of the crossbench would now have concerns when making deals on future legislation.

The government’s whip in the Legislative Council Jaclyn Symes said the move was “pretty poor”.

“I have never reneged on a pair, I commit to the House that I will never renege on a pair and this is unprecedented and unfortunately will have ramifications across the whole parliament,” she told the House, hands on her head.

“The entire chambers will not have pairs in the future.

“Is this really what we want?”

Rachel Carling-Jenkins was absent due to illness. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Ms Symes added that she did not know “how they (Mr Finn and Mr Ondarchie) can look at themselves in the mirror” after appealing for pairs to allow religious observance and then reneging.

But Liberal MP David Davis said the government’s pressure to push through the bill and have parliament sit on Good Friday was “simply disgraceful”.

Legislative Council president Bruce Atkinson told the House that while pairing was a longstanding tradition, the move did not break parliamentary standing orders.

“I’m sure there are very high running feelings as a result of the process we have been through,” he said.

“There are potentially ramifications for the parties, in terms of the future of pairs, as a result of a decision taken today.”