Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

our shocking government in South Australia, Member for Mayo and Member for Barker. The South Australian Labor government is the only government in Australia that has indicated it will start the national curriculum. So what the opposition are saying, and asking the crossbenchers to support, is: let the government off the hook, let the minister for schools off the hook, and pass this motion.

But we cannot vote on this motion unless we first vote on my amendment to the motion by the Leader of the House to suspend standing orders. I am asking the crossbenchers to walk across the aisle with the opposition and vote in favour of this amendment so that, once the amendment is passed, we can vote on the national curriculum. I know that there are members on the cross benches who want to vote for the national curriculum motion and I know there are members who do not want to vote for the national curriculum motion, but there is nothing to stop the crossbenchers from voting to allow the vote to occur. It is part of the democratic process.

I am sorry that the government has not listed this for voting and I am sorry that in the Selection Committee process—which in some respects is still finding its trainer wheels in a hung parliament, as the Speaker himself has indicated in this place; that is the same for all of us in this new hung parliament—it was not clear that we wanted this vote to occur on this day. But I am asking the crossbenchers on this particular occasion, because this motion is time specific, to walk across the aisle—member for New England—with the opposition and allow this vote to occur. I know you want to, member for New England, and it is a very easy thing to do. It is just two metres across the aisle.

I will not hold up the business of the House for any longer. I know there is a great deal that needs to be done. I have moved the amendment that the national curriculum be added to the list of votes that will occur this morning and I would ask the parliament to seriously consider it and then allow the vote on the national curriculum.

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