Government hides Thomson again
25 Aug 2011
Media release Another attempt to bring Mr Thomson to the House of Representatives to defend himself or explain the allegations against him was blocked today only after the Speaker of the House of Representatives was forced to cast a deciding vote after the House tied.
The Members for Lyne, New England and Melbourne also sided with the Government to protect the Member for Dobell.
“We have now offered the Government four opportunities to explain this matter,” said the Manager of Opposition Business, Christopher Pyne.
“Three times we’ve called on the Member for Dobell to attend the House and explain himself. On another occasion we’ve called on the Prime Minister to defend him,” he said.
“All of these opportunities have been rejected by the Government. They have stonewalled and obfuscated to keep Mr Thomson from having to respond to these allegations.
“Yesterday the Prime Minister walked out on the debate, shut down Question Time and ran away from the House of Representatives.
“If the Labor Party ends the week without addressing this matter in the House of Representatives then they will be clearly putting their own interests ahead of the interests of the Australian people.
“This Government is paralysed by these allegations and they must be dealt with fully, openly and transparently,” Mr Pyne said.
August 25, 2011
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