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Vic Speaker slams Shaw, but mum on future

The Victorian Speaker says Frankston MP Geoff Shaw loves the limelight, but Ken Smith won't discuss his own future.

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Ken Smith file image (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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The Victorian Speaker says he will be in the chair when parliament resumes next week, but will not say what will happen after that.

Speaker Ken Smith, who has announced he will not contest the next election, said he will probably have something to say about his future when parliament resumes on Tuesday.

Mr Smith has slammed the behaviour of balance of power MP Geoff Shaw, who last year said he no longer had confidence in the Speaker, sparking chaotic scene in the parliament.

He said Mr Shaw, a former Liberal turned independent member for Frankston, loves the limelight.

Mr Smith announced earlier this month he would not contest the next election, but he and Premier Denis Napthine have been silent on whether he will remain in the Speaker's chair.

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"I'll be in the chair at 2pm next Tuesday afternoon at Parliament House," Mr Smith told AAP.

Asked if he would be in the chair on Wednesday, Mr Smith replied: "That remains to be spoken about on Tuesday."

Pressed further, Mr Smith replied: "Just be patient it is only a few more days."

Mr Shaw announced to the parliament in November that he no longer had confidence in Mr Smith, a decision that meant the Speaker no longer had a majority in the house.

Mr Smith said the Frankston MP didn't even have the decency to speak to him about his decision.

"He had to just stand up in the house and decided then to do it, obviously after consultation with his friends in the Labor Party," he said.

Mr Shaw's announcement led to the Labor opposition continually trying to force a vote of confidence in Mr Smith.

The Speaker suspended parliament for the remainder of the sitting and when parliament resumed suspended two Labor MPs for the remainder of the year for poor behaviour.

Mr Smith expects neither Mr Shaw nor Labor will change their behaviour in 2014.

"(Mr Shaw) tries to shy away from the limelight, but he just loves it," Mr Smith said.

"I think he will probably be worse, he's had a couple of months to think about it over the holidays."


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