Peter Slipper quits as Speaker

9 Oct 2012, 7:26 pm   -   Source: AAP
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(AAP)

(AAP)

Peter Slipper has announced his resignation as Speaker of the House of Representatives just hours after a bill to have him removed from the position was narrowly defeated.

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Peter Slipper has announced his resignation as Speaker of the House of Representatives just hours after a bill to have him removed from the position was narrowly defeated.

Mr Slipper became emotional after announcing in the lower house that it was "with great sadness" he would tender his resignation to the governor-general.

"It is indeed a great privilege to serve in this place and particularly as Speaker," he told parliament.

He thanked the House for expressing confidence in him by earlier on Tuesday voting down Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's motion to remove him from the post.

"I appreciated the references to the friendships I have enjoyed with members across the spectrum over many years."

Mr Slipper said the role of the House of Representatives in Australia was far more important than his own future and his continuation as Speaker.

He said he was confident the course of reform he set out to achieve would continue.

Mr Slipper specifically thanked Labor MP Anna Burke, the deputy speaker, who he said had worked diligently in the "recent difficult circumstances".

She had provided him with friendship and support over the past six months.

"She's been loyal, she has not sought to have her own position advanced," he said. "She has done everything that a deputy speaker should do. In fact, she's done more."

Speaking about his record as Speaker, Mr Slipper referred to the changes he had made.

"I refer to the changes in relation in both questions and answers, to the efforts to introduce greater civility in the house and of course the long awaited renaming of the Federation Chamber," he said.

"I wanted to expand the role of supplementary questions, to turn our house to be like the House of Commons, where we had more interactivity and spontaneity and where the government of the day, whoever was in the government, was held accountable."

Peter Slipper

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Your Comments

Right thing to do

Chris - from Adelaide, 8 months ago

It was the right thing to do. His position was untenable. He was a surprisingly good Speaker but he should never have accepted the position. That was a betrayal of his party and his electorate.

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