Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion. I have the honour of seconding this nomination of Mr Slipper. First of all, I would like to join the member for Banks in my sincere regret that Mr Jenkins, the member for Scullin, is leaving his position. I would like to restate that he has not just done the parliament proud but that he has also done his party proud. We have all, in the very difficult circumstances of a hung parliament, had as Speaker a man whom I believe has exercised his responsibilities with all the neutrality and goodwill that he can.

Anyone who has observed Mr Slipper as Deputy Speaker in the period of this very difficult hung parliament would have to say—whether one knew him well beforehand or not—that he has also exercised a knowledge of procedure and fairness to a very great extent. If one observed his knowledge of standing orders and procedures, one would know that he is, just as the member for Banks described him, a man who, with his knowledge of procedure, is perfectly fit for the role of Speaker.

As many people in this House know, when you are a parliamentarian you make unlikely friendships. There are people on both sides of politics who become knowledgeable of each other. Over the last years I have got to know Peter Slipper—and his very charming wife Inge, who I hope is here to participate in this honour to him—and I have observed a man who has been attacked by his local media but who in this parliament has behaved extremely honourably and has discharged his duties well. Despite his reputation in the local newspapers—which have seemed to me to have political axes to grind—he has a great affinity with human rights. He and I have travelled together to India and into the foothills of the Himalayas to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Mr Slipper, in the role of Speaker, will have to exercise a great deal of diplomatic dexterity, which I am confident, with his knowledge of international affairs and of people of other places, he will exercise. That is a very important role for the Speaker along with his performance in the House.

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