If Hilly’s doing it, there’s
another person who might like to consider his position over summer: the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, David Hawker.

Sure, he’s got a pretty awful job. But as the Daily Telegraph shows today, he’s pretty awful at it. According to the Tele, federal MPs have been “booted out of Parliament 55 times this year – and just one of those sent packing was a Government MP.”

Topping
the list is deputy manager of opposition business, NSW Labor MP Anthony
Albanese. He was shown the door six times. He’s had some good quotes
for the Tele – but some good points, too:

“I thought it would have been more,” he said. “It’s part of
my job to represent the interests of the Opposition in a vigorous
fashion.

“Alexander Downer is probably the worst offender in Parliament – he never shuts up.

“And
the blatant disregard by Abbott, Nelson, Howard and Costello, going on
raves irrelevant to what they’ve been asked. When the Speaker does draw
that to their attention, they ignore him.”

Hawker rejects claim of bias. “It’s my job to uphold order. I call it as I see it,” he told the Telegraph.

Plus everybody knows what Whitlam did to Jim Cope.