Abbott can't have it both ways: Emerson

20 May 2012, 3:35 pm   -   Source: AAP

Tony Abbott must sack controversial senator Bill Heffernan from the Liberal Party or be exposed as having double standards, says Craig Emerson.

A federal government frontbencher says Opposition Leader Tony Abbott must sack controversial senator Bill Heffernan from the Liberal Party or be exposed as having double standards when it comes to parliamentary conduct.

Senator Heffernan has been accused of hitting and making homophobic remarks to a senior Liberal staffer at a branch meeting on the NSW Central Coast.

"Under the principles the Labor government has supported and continues to support Senator Heffernan is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence," senior minister Craig Emerson told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.

But Dr Emerson said if Mr Abbott applied his own principles he'd "refuse to accept Senator Heffernan's tainted vote, he will stand him down from chairing the relevant Senate committee and he will move to dismiss Senator Heffernan from the Liberal Party".

Labor sought consistency when it came to due process and the presumption of innocence but "Mr Abbott seeks to have one principle for the Liberal Party and one principle for the rest of Australia", the minister said.

Mr Abbott has repeatedly attacked Prime Minister Julia Gillard for relying on the "tainted" vote of suspended Labor MP Craig Thomson, who the workplace watchdog says misused almost $500,000 in members' funds when he was in charge of the Health Services Union.

The opposition has also criticised Labor for elevating former Liberal MP Peter Slipper to the position of Speaker.

Mr Slipper faces allegations he sexually harassed a staffer and misused taxi vouchers.

Comment was being sought from Mr Abbott.

Mr Abbott has consistently called on Mr Thomson to make a statement to the parliament which he'll now do on Monday.

Dr Emerson said it would therefore follow, under the Liberal leader's principles, that Senator Heffernan should be forced to explain himself too.

"Mr Abbott can't have it both ways," he said.

"Consistency is what we seek."

Alternatively, the Labor MP said Mr Abbott had an opportunity to "change his principles" and allow everyone due process and the presumption of innocence.

"Mr Abbott needs to take stock of his behaviour where he has appointed himself as judge in the case of Mr Thomson and indeed in the case of Mr Slipper."

Dr Emerson said a code of conduct for MPs was "something well worth discussing".

"Let's just see what a proposed code of conduct looks like," he said.

"In principle it's worthy of support but what it really requires is a forensic examination of proposals."

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