Burke elected Speaker as Slipper resigns

10 Oct 2012, 6:02 am   -   Source: AAP
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Labor's Anna Burke has been elected Speaker of the federal parliament, after a tumultuous day in which Peter Slipper resigned the role.

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Labor's Anna Burke has become the third Speaker in three years and only the second woman to hold the position, after a tumultuous day in which Peter Slipper resigned the key parliamentary role.

Mr Slipper entered the lower house about 7.20pm (AEDT) on Tuesday to make the shock announcement he was voluntarily standing down for the good of the parliament.

He is facing sexual harassment allegations in the Federal Court in a civil case brought by staffer James Ashby, but denies the claims.

However, when parliament returned on Tuesday coalition MPs came out in force to condemn Mr Slipper, elevated by the government to Speaker last November, after court documents revealed another series of text messages allegedly sent by Mr Slipper to Mr Ashby.

One message referred to female genitalia as "shell-less mussels" while another described Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella as an "ignorant botch" (sic).

Mr Slipper's resignation came after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had failed in a motion to sack him, claiming the texts showed he was not fit for the office of Speaker.

Mr Abbott riled the prime minister when he alluded to comments made last month by 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones that her father had died of "shame" because of her political "lies".

"Every day the prime minister stands in this parliament to defend this Speaker will be another day of shame for this parliament, another day of shame for a government which should already have died of shame," Mr Abbott said.

Ms Gillard accused Mr Abbott of hypocrisy, saying he had a history of sexist comments going back to his student politics days and extending into his time as health minister.

"If he wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern Australia, he doesn't need a motion in the House of Representatives, he needs a mirror," she said.

Ms Gillard argued that while the texts - for which Mr Slipper apologised - were clearly "offensive", the court should be left to decide the case.

Crossbenchers Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott, Craig Thomson and Adam Bandt helped Labor defeat the motion by 70 votes to 69, after a heated two-hour debate.

Mr Slipper - who is waiting to see if the Federal Court will grant his application for Mr Ashby's case to be thrown out as an abuse of process - maintained his innocence in his first speech to parliament since May.

He said he understood the arguments of those who wanted him sacked, describing Mr Abbott as a long-time friend.

"I don't hold anything against the leader of the opposition, who I think is a fine character," Mr Slipper said.

"I think it is a singular privilege to have a lady of the amazing stamina that we have as prime minister.

"I leave this position without rancour and with a great deal of sadness."

Mr Slipper looked forward to "being vindicated against the false claims".

Ms Burke, the member for the Melbourne seat of Chisholm since 1998, said she would uphold the dignity of parliament.

She is the second female Speaker of the House of Representatives after Labor's Joan Child, who served between 1986 and 1989.

Veteran Nationals MP Bruce Scott beat Labor MP Steve Georganas for the Deputy Speaker's role, putting him in a strong position to be Speaker under an Abbott government.

Labor backbencher Kelvin Thomson said in seconding Ms Burke's nomination that the house "could use a little healing" after the events of the day.

Mr Abbott said the current parliament had set a new record.

"It is remarkable in this sense that this is the first parliament in the history of the commonwealth to have had three speakers in the life of a single parliament," Mr Abbott said.

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Your Comments

Best outcome possible, except biased media editorial

Drew - from Melbourne, 7 months ago

This is the best outcome of this mess the parliament was in. The Opposition Leader was calling for the Speaker to be fired, based on a sexist remark made in a private conversation with a gay man. Now consider all the sexist remarks many of the Libs (including the leader) have made over the years. Double standards much? The PM was defending proper Parliamentary process, and calling out double standards. As a result, Peter Slipper have the choice to resign with dignity, which he did.

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