Whatever you may have thought of Harry Jenkins’s performance as speaker — from the regular malapropisms to the red-faced outburts of exasperation — he was known across the political spectrum as a man of integrity and decency.
Peter Slipper does not come to the role with such high regard. His time in parliament, which extends over two decades, is chiefly noteworthy for his moving from the Nationals to the Liberals, a series of undignified incidents inside and outside parliament and for a series of problems around his travel expenses, which have often needed to be repaid to the taxpayer.
Labor understands this perfectly, of course, but it has not deterred the government from seizing on moves against Slipper within his own party and elevating Slipper to a role that is supposed to be both representative of Australian parliamentary democracy and a critical component of the day-to-day functioning of the House of Representatives. It may have been smart politics, but in terms of preserving the standards of public life, it is a poor outcome.
And whether Slipper can be an effective speaker must be open to question. The speaker must be respected, at least to a degree, by both sides. Judging by the cries of “shame” from the opposition benches when Slipper was dragged to the chair yesterday, his ability to command respect from those on his left is in grave doubt.
Hey- yesterday Crikey hailed Slipper as a “huge win” for the ALP!
Frank, yesterday was a huge win for Labor, at the expense of the two conservative camps opposite. What a regular delight it shall be to watch the Stupid Libs try to deal with their loss of a member and the knife edge antics of the Government.
Even better will be the pleaseure to be gained as Lib and Country National Liberal Bush Party chiefs squabble and fight over the seat of the newest Independent in the House, The Hon Harry Jenkins.
What comedy is in store for us as a three way tussle develops for Jenkins’ seat of Scullin, perhaps 4 or 5.
Unfortunately, this all comes at a price. Unfortunately for the Libs, they put up with Slipper for far too long, despite his flakiness. I couldn’t give a hoot as to whether he is a good Speaker or the worst ever. The damage that a poor Speaker can do to the processes of government are far lesser evils than those already achieved by the negativism and aggression of the current Opposition and the lack of real depth in all 4 major parties in the House (I include the witless and unthinking Greens in this).
If nothing else comes of this, let’s hope that the parties all think much deeper before nominating half-good candidates to high office. Oddly enough, the untrustworthy often demonstrate that they are… untrustworthy.
That includes Slipper. But Labor has won this round.
Abbott’s malignant performances in the HR have come to bite him on the behind, and Gillard has sunk her teeth into him this time.
Think I’ll stop right there with that image.
I agree. Had the Opposition adhered to to some basic conventions – the Tories seem to feel that they can flout conventions with impunity while imposing them on everyone else – it would not have made Labor’s move so attractive.
Funny watching Tony Jones last night on Lateline, trying to corner Albanese on something that sounded like “the morality of the way it was done”.
This on a program that has been part of the “rebirth of Peter Reith” after his “services to the calling” that culminated in “Children Overboard”.
And Slipper might not be “Abbott’s man” any more, but he was – and is a product of that “party”.