2GB

SUBJECTS: Craig Thomson saga

E&OE………

Ben Fordham: G’day Mr Pyne. 

Christopher Pyne: Ben, how are you going? 

Fordham: I’m well.  Are you going to back off Craig Thomson? 

Pyne: Well, the Government could solve this crisis tomorrow if they wanted to.  It is the Government that is requiring Craig Thomson to turn up to Parliament every day because they need his vote to cling to power and so the Coalition is doing its job, which is standing up for the integrity of the Parliament, holding the Prime Minister to account, who has of course been protecting Craig Thomson for eight months in the Parliament and continues to protect him. 

Fordham: I’ll take that as a no. 

Pyne: Well, if the Government wanted to they could tomorrow – Craig Thomson could go on a leave of absence to get his health organised and look after his family, to deal with the very significant findings that have been made against him and any impending court matters.  When they’re all resolved he could come back to Parliament, but it’s only the Government keeping him there, not the Coalition. 

Fordham: So it is a dangerous precedent to set isn’t it?  We all feel sympathy for anyone who’s going through incredible pressure in their lives, but it’s a dangerous precedent to send a message to say, “look, if you’re in strife you can lie your backside off all the way through it A to Z.  Tell everyone lies all the way along and then eventually if the pressure becomes so much as a result of your fibbing then eventually you can say, “look, I’m very fragile” there is a chance that – what they’re saying here is, “look, be careful.  Lay off Craig Thomson.  Otherwise he could kill himself.” 

Pyne: Well that is the message, bluntly from the Labor party

Fordham: I think it’s crass; I think it’s really crass.

Pyne: Obviously we need to treat everybody in the parliament with compassion, and understand as human beings that many of us are placed under enormous pressure at different times of our life, both personal and business, and I don’t think the Opposition should stop holding the government to account, especially the Prime Minister. If the Labor Party genuinely wants to remove the pressure from Craig Thomson, he should one, co-operate with all the authorities, which he hasn’t been doing until recently, and secondly he could take a leave of absence and in that time have the spotlight removed from him, while he is dealing with his issues.

Fordham: I’m guessing you, like many others, are anticipating this interview on A Current Affair on Monday night?

Pyne: Well I think A Current Affair is certainly going to have good ratings on Monday night.  They’ve done a very good job of promoting their programme so I think a lot of people will be watching.  I watched it last night and it’s obviously a very interesting story.

Fordham:  What struck me about last night, about the credit card transaction just briefly because then we’ll have to go, what struck me about that was this was $770 charge to a credit card but Craig Thomson actually gave an explanation for a $770 charge on that day, said that he was entertaining people or having dinner.  Whereas a lot of these previous things have been things that he has claimed he has just missed on his credit card receipt.

Pyne: Well, Ben, I think that the crucial issue here is if Craig Thomson’s story is to be believed and that he was then set up and threatened to be set up with hookers, why did he sign off on the credit cards when they were presented to him for payment?  If it (inaudible) Escort Agency most average people would have thought hang on I don’t remember that service and therefore why did he pay the invoices on the credit card?  

Fordham:  It’s unbelievable.  It’s been a big week, you go and enjoy your weekend.  Good to talk to you.

Pyne:  Thanks Ben.

ENDS