Craig Thomson and Peter Slipper: Scandals to destroy Gillard and Labor; Peter Slipper steps down as Speaker amid sexual harassment and fraud allegations
Tweet Topic Started: 25 Aug 2011, 12:06 PM (1,761 Views)
Federal Parliament Speaker Peter Slipper has stepped aside while investigations are underway into allegations of sexual harassment and fraud against him.
Mr Slipper, who returned to Australia today, released a statement saying he "emphatically" denied allegations he sexually harassed a former staffer.
"The allegations include both a claim of criminal behaviour and claim under civil law," he said.
Any allegation of criminal behaviour was grave and should be dealt with in a manner that showed appropriate regard to the integrity of Australia's democratic institutions and to precedent, he said.
"As such, I believe it is appropriate for me to stand aside as Speaker while this criminal allegation is resolved."
The allegation by former aide James Ashby was incorrect, Mr Slipper said.
"Once it is clear they are untrue I shall return to the Speakership," he said.
"In relation to the civil matter there will be an appropriate process that will resolve the matter in due course."
In the meantime Labor MP and Deputy Speaker, Anna Burke, will act as Speaker, Mr Slipper said.
Mr Ashby, 33, reportedly launched legal action in the Federal Court on Friday alleging the Sunshine Coast MP had made unwelcome advances towards him and had sent him sexually explicit text messages.
Earlier today, the opposition demanded Mr Slipper's resignation. Opposition Senate leader Eric Abetz said the coalition wants Mr Slipper removed from parliament due to the issues swirling around him.
Mr Slipper resigned from the Liberal Party to become Speaker in November 2011. "The Labor Party in full knowledge of those issues deliberately embraced him and elevated him to the top position that the parliament has to offer, namely the speakership," Senator Abetz told Sky News on Sunday.
"That is where (Prime Minister) Ms Gillard is now hoist on her own petard and she is in a very real difficulty. She has to call on Mr Slipper to resign if he doesn't do so willingly himself."
hate the red ranga but mister hillsong huffy mcguffy not the best either...... oh my sore head and empty wallet........
I agree. The current government needs to go but I don't want the opposition to get into power with total control of both houses as that will be equally dangerous. However that is a real possibility as a Queensland style decimation of Labor at the next federal election is a real possibility.
Common sense is a curse - those who have it need to suffer dealing with those who don't have it.
The following text message was allegedly sent by Peter Slipper on February 1 to one of his staffers, James Ashby: ''But you're [sic] call and no hard feelings in that you only want businesslike contact. In that event of the difficulty in our personal.''
Alleged response text by Ashby: ''I don't know what type of contact you expect Peter. Perhaps u should define that u would like and I can then be clearer on my position.''
Slipper: ''U want something more? U brillianmt [sic] at massages.''
Ashby: ''No I'm happy the way things are. I care for u Pete but the massage is at far as it goes. Life's a lot more simpler when it's business and a few drinks after work.''
Slipper: ''Oh.''
Oh indeed. Unguarded private texts make for queasy reading but they are part of more than a thousand words of texts and alleged dialogue between Slipper, 62, and Ashby, 33, embedded in a compensation complaint lodged by Ashby against Slipper.
Ashby claims Slipper subjected him to sexual harassment while Slipper, who is married, was his employer and Speaker of the House of Representatives. He also claims Slipper misused the Cabcharge system.
Slipper denies the allegations, which emerged in the public domain on Saturday.
Ashby appears to be no paragon of virtue, but for Slipper the issue of his self-indulgence in claiming work expenses has dogged him for years. His own party was seeking to remove him before he left the Liberals and took the Speaker's role.
He is taking the Gillard government down a slippery slope to a level of illegitimacy I have not seen before in my years of covering politics. Not even the Whitlam government, and the constitutional coup in 1975 engineered by a reckless Malcolm Fraser, matched the impression of illegitimacy that now hangs over this government.
Federal Labor increasingly looks like NSW Labor when the government had sunk into decadence. Premier Kristina Keneally worked furiously running the government, just as Gillard is doing, but she inherited a corrupt political machine and a disillusioned electorate.
Gillard's predicament is even worse. She is the agent of her own decline.
She may be the first woman Prime Minister but Keneally was the first woman Premier of NSW and the public was unmoved by sentiment when it was time to vote.
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