Vic opposition shatters pairing agreement

A decades-old gentlemen's agreement between politicians in Victoria's parliament appears to be ruined, at least for the short term, after a Good Friday scandal rocked Spring Street.

Upper house Liberal MPs Bernie Finn and Craig Ondarchie were each granted a pair on Thursday night, meaning an opposite MP would abstain from voting.

But as debate stretched to 30 hours on a controversial fire services bill, they returned to the Legislative Council on Friday to successfully help vote down a controversial piece of legislation.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the backflip was his call and "saving" the Country Fire Authority justified his party's flouting of trust in the pairs agreement.

He wants pairs to become a more formal written arrangement, like they are in the lower house.

However, the change would still not make it a formal procedure of parliament.

The government is considering its options for pairs in both houses through until the November election.