Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—Yesterday during the vote on the Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives Bill 2009 arrangements were entered into for the pairing of Senator Xenophon. In the reflection of those arrangements, the pairing was incorrectly attributed to the coalition. It was our obligation to pair; therefore, the vote of the government should have been reduced, not that of the opposition. That would not have the effect of change in the outcome, because the vote was tied. It would have delivered a majority against the legislation. That is the correct outcome of the vote. I understand that on that basis Senator Xenophon does not seek to have the vote put again, and I understand that that is acceptable to the opposition. The government apologises for incorrectly reflecting the pairing in the division and reports that to the Senate.