Mr Baird posted an X-ray of his fractured vertebra on Facebook and Twitter, anticipating the jokes that would follow.

And they did, ranging from the obscure to the political. For the most part, though, commenters on his Baird back were polite, and few were disc-hurteous.

On his Facebook page, he wrote: "Note to self: when fetching a glass of water late at night, don't walk down the stairs in your socks with the lights out."

He said the prognosis was a slow recovery, with no need for surgery.

"Yeah, I know… The punchlines for this pretty much write themselves… Knock yourselves out (I almost did!)"

A spokesman for Mr Baird said even though he is a bit sore, he will be back at work on Tuesday, when debate is set to begin on the government's legislation to ban greyhound racing at Parliament's lower house.

There were plenty of jokes about his recent decision to ban greyhound racing and introduce lock-out laws in Sydney.

"Well at least you'll recover which is more than I can say for the Business' you destroyed in Kings Cross and surrounds and all those involved in the Greyhound Industry," wrote one commenter.

Another wrote that the greyhound trainers would be celebrating.

One commenter wrote: "Next: stairs banned in NSW."

Nick Pellow added "Quick!! Outlaw stairs in residential buildings nanny mike!"

And another from commenter Nathan Barton who wrote, "Shows you can still have a good time without getting drunk in the cross!"