Abiding by the Australian Labor Party's cabinet rules, which binds members to support the majority decision, Mr Stanhope backed Industrial Relations Minister John Hargreaves' decision to ban the Queen's Birthday long weekend cracker night despite his own personal views.

''I regret the decision. I think of decisions I've made in Government it's one of the decisions that I have significant regret around,'' Mr Stanhope said yesterday.

''I always enjoyed fireworks, cracker night, I loved it as a child.

''My children loved it, and it's a matter of regret that there are generations of children now that will never have that same experience or that same joy, and I regret that.''

Mr Stanhope indicated he had been at odds with the majority of his cabinet colleagues on the issue. However, it is unknown whether he had been a lone voice in support of fireworks.

''It was, as all cabinet decisions are, a consensus decision, and every member of cabinet supports the decision absolutely, as do I,'' he said.

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