edit: IT WAS A BEAUTY! .. saw a small part of it on the news last night and have been 'getting around to it' all day .. lolol .. you got me ..
'Grubby deal' allowed Slipper resignation
Ehssan Veiszadeh - Date October 10, 2012 - 11:02AM
AAP
The federal opposition has accused Labor and two independent MPs of making "another grubby political deal" to allow Peter Slipper to resign as Speaker rather than be sacked by parliament.
Tony Windsor revealed on Wednesday he and fellow independent MP Rob Oakeshott told Mr Slipper he should consider resigning as parliamentary Speaker because his position was untenable.
Mr Windsor had met with Mr Slipper an hour before Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on Tuesday moved a motion in parliament calling for his sacking.
Then, as Mr Abbott was speaking in the chamber after 2pm (AEDT), both Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott met with Mr Slipper.
They discussed Mr Slipper's position in light of comments he made about female genitalia in text messages sent to adviser James Ashby, who has accused his former boss of sexual harassment.
"(We) suggested to him maybe the proper thing to do was that he consider resigning and he did that," Mr Windsor told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
Mr Oakeshott confirmed the meeting with Mr Slipper.
"I've had the view (that he should resign) for a long time, and yesterday that point was made to him personally based on what has come out in the court case," he told ABC radio.
"Therefore, in a diplomatic way - to give the bloke, who, is in the end a human being - Tony Windsor and I went and saw him and had a long conversation with him about the range of options available."
Later, Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott voted with the government against the opposition motion, saving Mr Slipper from being sacked but a few hours later he entered the house and announced his resignation.
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said it was "yet another grubby political deal" between the government and independent MPs.
"The independents agreed to support the government in the house in return for Peter Slipper's resignation after the vote," she told reporters.
"(This is) reminiscent of the prime minister's grubby deal to put Peter Slipper into the position of Speaker in the first place."
But Labor ministers rallied around the prime minister, defending her judgment in appointing Mr Slipper as Speaker last November.
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said Labor did not know about the text messages at the time.
"We don't make judgments based on rumours," she told ABC radio.
"The parliament is not a kangaroo court. It's not a star chamber."
Defence Minister Stephen Smith argued Mr Slipper had sent the text messages before he became Speaker.
"It is not what he did in the chair," he told ABC radio from Brussels where he is attending a NATO meeting.
Mr Smith said the government had no choice but to defend Mr Slipper because the opposition motion "came out of the blue".
Ms Gillard mounted a ferocious attack on Mr Abbott during the debate on Tuesday, accusing him of sexism and misogyny, saying that while the texts were offensive, parliament should recognise a court case was in progress.
Families Minister Jenny Macklin said Ms Gillard's defence of Mr Slipper was an opportunity to respond to Mr Abbott's "outrageous personal abuse" of her.
"He calls her names across the table, repeatedly," Ms Macklin told ABC radio.
Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce said Labor looked like complete and utter hypocrites, "one day banging on" about misogyny and the rights of women and the next, voting against them.
further edit :) .. that was the real Gillard .. we see her as the dignified leader everyday and .. wow .. was it great to see .. hope we see more of it and as you are seeing more of the real President Obama too ..
WOW WOW!.. just watched it all!!! .. lol .. i appreciated so very much your posting Julia's speech the other reply came first .. thanks again .. oh dear, how GOOD WAS IT! .. seriously, why can't we see more of the real emotional content of our leaders more often
.. gonna write a Letter to the Editor of The Telegraph now .. :)
News 
Market Data 
Discover 
