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Heffernan scandal splits govt
March 14 2002
The government appeared to be split today on its stance over Liberal Party member Bill Heffernan, with colleague Senator Marise Payne choosing not to vote on a crucial motion.
Senator Payne refused to comment on her absence but her spokesman confirmed she was at work today.
He agreed the senator had made her statement by not showing up at the vote on whether Senator Heffernan should apologise to the Senate for his attack on High Court Justice Michael Kirby.
Senator Heffernan stood down as cabinet secretary yesterday after telling the Senate on Tuesday night that High Court Justice Michael Kirby used rent boys and was unfit to rule on sex-abuse cases.
Justice Kirby strongly denied the allegations.
Prime Minister John Howard has backed Senator Heffernan's action, although he warned him not to misuse parliamentary privilege.
Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown this morning moved for the Senate to make an apology to Justice Kirby, but Australian Democrats Leader Natasha Stott Despoja amended it to call on Senator Heffernan himself to apologise.
Senator Payne failed to appear, however, when the vote on the amendment was called.
"Clearly this amendment would not have been won without some members of the government not turning up," Senator Stott Despoja later told reporters.
"There were 32 votes in favour of the motion and 30 votes against the motion."
Asked by journalists how many Liberal senators failed to appear for the vote, Stott Despoja replied: "At least one Liberal senator left the chamber."
She refused to name the senator.
AAP
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