Deal with renegade Liberal boosts Labor's numbers
By Jeremy Thompson and Ben Atherton/ABC NEWS online
House of Representatives Speaker Peter Slipper has wasted little time flexing his newfound authority, tossing out four Coalition MPs during this afternoon's session of Parliament.
A desperate Opposition rearguard action had failed to stop the renegade Liberal National Party MP from being installed as Speaker in a stunning Labor coup.
A day of extraordinary political drama began when Labor speaker Harry Jenkins announced his resignation this morning.
The move pitched Mr Slipper into the spotlight, with the Labor Caucus wasting little time in nominating him for the Speaker's role - a move that effectively gives Labor one more seat in the House of Reps and lessens its reliance on independent and Greens MPs.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott hit back by threatening to throw Mr Slipper out of the party if he accepted the speakership.
Manager of Opposition business Christopher Pyne stepped up to nominate a succession of Labor MPs for the job instead.
All declined; Anna Burke, Dick Adams, Sid Sidebottom, Sharon Bird, Kirsten Livermore, Steve Georganas ... the list went on.
Finally Mr Pyne gave up the unequal task and Mr Slipper's election to the Speaker's role was confirmed. Ms Burke was elected Deputy Speaker, defeating Bruce Scott 72 votes to 71.
After assuming the role Mr Slipper told Parliament he was resigning from the LNP, heading off any move that could be made to see him expelled.
He said it was so that he could be a totally independent speaker.
Mr Abbott then accused Labor of sacrificing Mr Jenkins to protect the Prime Minister's political life and tried to censure the Government for forcing Mr Jenkins to "walk the plank".
Julia Gillard rejected the claims amid rowdy scenes in which Mr Slipper ordered four Coalition MPs - Luke Simpkins, Peter Dutton, Tony Smith and George Christensen - from the chamber for one hour.
Quote:What the Speaker switch means
# the Government has a stronger position on votes in the House of Representatives
# to pass legislation, Labor now only needs three instead of four votes out of Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott, Andrew Wilkie, Adam Bandt, Bob Katter and Tony Crook.
Resign
Mr Slipper appeared comfortable with his decision to cast himself into the political wilderness.
He sheeted the responsibility for his move back to his colleagues who had called for disciplinary action against him or were working to have him dumped.
"I've been encouraged in this opportunity to serve the Parliament in a new way by the actions of some people in the Liberal National Party in recent times," he said.
He told a stony-faced Mr Pyne that he was "not offended" that the Opposition business leader had nominated a swag of alternative speakers and said he was looking forward to working with him.
But in what might be seen as a pre-emptive strike, he did note Mr Pyne had been ejected from the House no less than 33 times.
Coup
It is understood the Government had been negotiating with Mr Slipper for some weeks, deliberations that were kept secret, and surprised his former colleagues today.
The coup strengthens the Government's position in the Lower House and means independent MP Andrew Wilkie will not be able to carry out his threat to bring down the Government should his bill on poker machine reform be defeated.
Mr Slipper's political future had already been under a cloud, with calls in Queensland's Liberal National Party for him to be sacked over a series of internal and ongoing disputes.
He angered party bosses by appearing with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on the same day former prime minister John Howard was launching an LNP candidate's campaign.
Reports had indicated he was unlikely to retain preselection for his Queensland seat of Fisher. ...<cont>
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