The Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, and the manager of opposition business, Christopher Pyne, made for the doors but Mr Abbott was ordered back by the Speaker, Anna Burke, because it was too late to leave. His vote was counted. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott makes a failed dash for the door of Parliament. Credit:Sky News A fleet-footed Mr Pyne made it out before being noticed by Ms Burke, thereby negating Mr Thomson's vote. Despite the fact that the House live minutes show Mr Abbott did vote in the first vote this morning, Mr Abbott would not confirm that he was in the chamber for the vote. "I’m not going to go into the precise details of who was what where," he said.

Greens Leader Christine Milne said Mr Abbott's behaviour today demonstrated that he could not be regarded as a responsible candidate for the prime ministership. Independent MP Craig Thomson votes with the opposition during a division in Parliament. "You're not allowed to run out of the house when a vote is called," Senator Milne said. Back in the house, Labor again tried to gag the Coalition motion to debate debt and Mr Thomson voted with the Coalition a second time. This time, Mr Pyne returned to the house, but sat in the adviser's box and did not vote, while Mr Abbott stayed in his office in protest.

Mr Thomson taunted Mr Abbott, saying he should cross the floor and sit on the Labor side "if he is truly negating my vote". Another gag was called at 9.45am, and another at 9.55am. Mr Thomson voted with the Coalition a third time and fourth time. Mr Abbott's abstention was designed to negate Mr Thomson's vote and reinforce his principle that the Coalition would never accept his support on anything. The opposition does not want to ever accept Mr Thomson's vote, fearing it could create a precedent in which it may have to grant him a pair in case he takes extended leave from the Parliament, thus negating any numerical advantage it would achieve from his absence. Mr Abbott has also been demanding the government never accept Mr Thomson's vote, claiming it is tainted.

Sitting in his office while the numbers were being counted, Mr Abbott told the National Times Labor should refuse to accept Mr Thomson's vote just as John Howard used to refuse the turncoat senator Mal Colston's vote by having a Coalition senator abstain. He said the Coalition would never be trapped into having to grant Mr Thomson a pair. Loading "We don't give pairs to independents and we will never accept Thomson's vote under any circumstances," he said. Mr Abbott later said that Mr Thomson's decision to side with the Coalition was a stunt.



"It was obviously a stunt orchestrated by Craig Thomson, Anthony Albanese and the government," Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra.



The Opposition Leader said his hasty exit from the chamber was to prevent the Coalition accepting Mr Thomson's vote.



"Christopher Pyne and I suddenly realised he was in the chamber," he said.



"As soon as it became it apparent [that Mr Thomson was siding with the Coalition we] absented ourselves from the chamber," Mr Abbott said.



The Opposition Leader said the Coalition would "absent one of our members" whenever Mr Thomson chooses to vote with the Coalition and called on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to do the same thing: "this is a tainted vote".









