THE Christian Democratic Party MP Fred Nile has used a parliamentary debate on his bill to remove ethics classes from schools to claim they teach the philosophy behind Nazism and communism.
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The O'Farrell government used its numbers in the upper house to give Mr Nile's bill priority yesterday morning, allowing it to be introduced ahead of all other legislation.
It followed a meeting between the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, and Mr Nile 10 days ago where it was agreed that the government would allow the bill to proceed after Mr Nile threatened to use his party's votes to ''torpedo'' the government's wages policy.
Introducing the bill, Mr Nile said he did not believe children were being taught the difference between right and wrong in the ethics classes, which are being taught as an alternative to special religious education lessons.
''It's relative ethics, which is the basis of secular humanism,'' Mr Nile told parliament. ''I believe this is the philosophy that we saw during World War II with the Nazis and with the Communists.'' The comments were branded ''outrageous'' and ''an act of extreme cowardice'' by opposition and Greens MPs.
The move to allow debate on the bill sparked renewed accusations that Mr O'Farrell had done a ''deal'' with Mr Nile in return for his support for the wages policy.
The Opposition Leader, John Robertson, said the arrangement was ''the first down payment'' and was ''clear evidence that a deal has been done''.
The Greens MP, John Kaye, said the government was ''clearly delivering for [Mr Nile] on this. How far does this deal go?''.
The government supported a move by Mr Nile's colleague, Paul Green, to adjourn debate on the ethics bill until September 16. Mr Nile said the adjournment was ''so that the Coalition can give further consideration to it''.
Despite saying he would take Mr Nile's bill to cabinet and the party room for consideration, Mr O'Farrell insists the government will not support removing the classes from schools. Such action had been an election promise.
Mr O'Farrell has defended the decision to allow the debate by arguing that every MP has the right to have every bill they present debated in parliament.
Yesterday Mr Nile gave notice of a new bill that would close the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Kings Cross, which was made permanent by the Labor government last year.
Asked during question time if he would support closure of the centre, Mr O'Farrell said the government ''has no plans to close the MSIC'' but that if it comes into the parliament Coalition MPs would be granted a conscience vote. He said Mr Nile had not raised the issue with him.
Earlier, the government combined with crossbench MPs in the upper house to block an attempt by the Greens to force it to table any documents relating to Mr Nile's meeting with Mr O'Farrell.
