Harry’s reasons

Harry Jenkins has ended the parliamentary year with a surprise, announcing he will resign as Speaker today:

In a statement to Parliament, Speaker Jenkins said he’d divorced himself from party political matters in order to carry out his duties in a non-partisan manner. “In this era of minority government I have progressively become frustrated at this stricture,” he said. “My desire is to be able to participate in policy and parliamentary debate, and this would be incompatible with continuing in the role of Speaker.”

Which is no huge deal if that’s all there is to it. But with the rift between Deputy Speaker Peter Slipper and his party widening of late – the LNP is presently considering disciplinary action against him – the suspicion exists that the government has reached an arrangement with him. If so, the return of Jenkins to the floor would enable the government to win confidence motions 76-73 rather than 75-74. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Events are moving quicker than my iPad typing speed. Phillip Coorey of the Sydney Morning Herald reports:

The Liberal MP, Peter Slipper, is likely to become the next Speaker of the House of Representatives after Labor’s Harry Jenkins resigned this morning, shocking the Parliament on its final sitting day for 2011. Labor MPs will be asked to approve Mr Slipper’s nomination at a special caucus meeting scheduled for 10am.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

1,458 comments on “Harry’s reasons”

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  1. We have all been fooled by the 2011 Mr Abbott.

    Next year we will see the real Mr Abbott, the 2012 Mr Abbott.

    He will be positive, statesmenlike, and will make lots of visionary Headland speeches.

  6. victoria – there was a report today that the Vic Police are seeking more documentation re the HSU think with possible fraud charges against Williams (?) and Craig Thomson. I think Abbott may have direct info from Vic. Govt just as they had with the NSW Govt.

  7. [He will be positive, statesmenlike, and will make lots of visionary Headland speeches.]

    BW, good. Finns & Boerwar Fukushima Inc will hire him as the toilet cleaner because shit happens

  9. PTMD

    [TLBD. Boerwar,
    Let me sing my own praises, I posted the Murdoch resignation on PB either late last night or this morning after picking it up on Twitter soon after it hit a British newspaper.
    We are fast on PB]

    Good stuff, PTMD.

  12. [Clearly, Abbott has been comprehensively outplayed by Gillard and Labor on just about every important score since the election.]

    GG

    Yes he has and by a wide margin. He needs to go…..

    Yet Labor is still behind in the polls.

  14. [A Herald Sun poll:

    Who should have filled the Speaker’s role?

    The Labor Party?
    The Coaliton?
    An Independent?
    The Governor-General?

    What a rag.]

    You know what would be funny? If all the online poll voters just automatically vote Coalition because that’s what they are programmed to do. (Maybe a few of the populists take the lure of independent as well) but either way, the poll favours Coalition or independent.

  16. Abbott got what he deserved today.

    The relentless flouting of convention in regard to the granting of ‘pairs,’ the cynical brinkmanship of the countless MPIs and points of order, the disrespect for the Speaker and for the niceties of parliamentary precedent (like Abbott’s ill-received and boorish speech in front of the US President last week) and the general disruption of the operations of the House show that he cares not one whit for parliamentary ethics or constitutional conventions, and the utter gall of the Coalition squealers to quote the history of ‘the Westminster system’ as their feeble justification for opposing a defector from their own ranks as the Speaker just beggars belief.

    To quote the wisdom of Solomon from the scriptures by way of the great actor, Frederick March, from the eponymous film, “he that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.”

    Abbott made the bed, now he has to lie in it!

  17. Finns

    [He will be positive, statesmenlike, and will make lots of visionary Headland speeches.

    BW, good. Finns & Boerwar Fukushima Inc will hire him as the toilet cleaner because shit happens]

    Victoria

    [Boerwar

    And pigs fly!]

    [PTMD

    Boerwar @ 651
    Watcha smokin?]

    O ye of little faith…

  19. [Yes he has and by a wide margin. He needs to go…..

    Yet Labor is still behind in the polls.]

    Awww, don’t be a spoil sport – can’t we keep him in the job for the next 2 years?

  21. He’s still leader IMO because Turnbull is despised and all other possible contenders are gutless wonders. He has them quaking in their boots with his bully boy behavior.

  22. Truly sad victoia, the young lady is a niece o f a friend, Sid side bottom taught the girls when at his school, Sid was a headmaster and Sid is also a very nice person, went to school with oh

    That tamania for you, every one seems connected some how.

  23. Truly sad victoia, the young lady is a niece o f a friend, Sid side bottom taught the girls when at his school, Sid was a headmaster and Sid is also a very nice person, went to school with oh

    That tamania for you, every one seems connected some how.

  24. You big copycat, Boerwar!! I said that a few weeks ago cos I think he is desperate enough to want to give that a go. Perhaps Howard had a hand in Sindinos taking the Senate seat just to be there to guide Abbott through to the next election

    Now that it looks as tho we will get through the next 2 years intact I’m changing my mind and thinking Abbott may become more unhinged instead.

    It showed today when he made a crack about the PM’s new bloke from the UK. I think he said wtte ‘McBeth pulling the strings for Lady McBeth’. Smartarske but I was surprisingly cheered by Abbott’s absolute fury today – and that of Pyne.

    I caught Bill Shorten and Albo speaking Speers today and both were good. Speers made a fool of himself today. He matured a bit for awhile but has now reverted to stupidity when interviewing. All said they were taking Harry at his word and had heard nothing to make them disbelieve him. Speers tried hard but got nowhere – except with the infuriated Chrissie Pyne.

  25. victoria

    They do when Labor have out played, out whited and provided leadership above and beyond posible with abbott. Yet the Libs still lead, the public must really detest what goods Gillard is offering.

  27. [… the Libs still lead, the public must really detest what goods Gillard is offering.]

    To quote Bobby Dylan

    [The times they are a-changing…]

  28. rummel

    I reckon the general public are not giving it too much thought atm. The govt will continue to govern whilst Abbott has to make a decision to do some real work devising policy or continue to play politics.

  29. [Abbott got what he deserved today.]

    I would say rather that the Liberal Party got what it deserved today. Just as the Labor Party is responsible for selecting its leader, the Liberal Party is responsible for chosing who its leader is.

  32. Turnbull won’t ever be leader again. He is disliked by Liberal heavies and, frankly, had very little appeal to the mainstream voter. He is only given a second look because left/Labor voters prefer him because he isn’t “as bad” as the alternative. However, most voters see him as an out of touch elitist.

    IF (operative word there. Still no guarantee) Abbott goes, it will either be for a populist conservative in a similar mold, such as Morrison or a dry type like Robb. Hockey and J Bishop are names thrown around but they both have huge negatives inside and outside the party room.

  40. rummel,

    Those who the Gods wish to destroy, they first make popular.

    I’d rather be Labor with a track record than Abbott with a smile and a quip going in to the next election.

  45. [BK – what would O Brien have done to Abbott (well probably nothing, since Abbott wouldnt show his face there)]
    Laocoon
    You answered your own question there.

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