Updated May 08, 2012 12:42:21
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Peter Slipper will don his robes and take the Speaker's chair for a short time this afternoon before entering his extended exile from the job.
Mr Slipper has indicated he will stand down as Speaker while claims of fraud and sexual harassment against him are investigated
The embattled Speaker is expected to briefly take the Speaker's chair when Parliament resumes at 2:00pm to make a statement and hand the duties to Labor's Deputy Speaker Anna Bourke.
He is then expected to take a seat on the crossbenches, alongside Craig Thomson, who has been suspended from the Labor Party amid claims he spent members' funds on prostitutes during his time as a Health Services Union official.
Mr Slipper's former aide James Ashby lodged documents in the Federal Court last month alleging that the MP for Fisher continually pursued a sexual relationship with him and misused taxpayer-funded Cabcharge vouchers.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is warning that a motion of no confidence will be moved against Mr Slipper if he tries to stay in the chair today.
"My expectation - and I think the requirement of the vast majority of members of Parliament - is that Mr Slipper not take the chair," he said.
"Now if he does what he says he has done and does not take the chair there'll be no necessity for the course of action [to declare a no confidence motion]."
Independent MP Tony Windsor says he will not try to stop Mr Slipper from making a brief statement when Parliament resumes.
"If it's purely Peter Slipper - who's still the Speaker - telling the House why he's vacating the chair for a period of time, then I can't see any real issue with that," he said.
Mr Windsor says Mr Slipper deserves to have a say.
"I think the Speaker - given he hasn't been convicted or even charged with anything - probably has a right to say why he's vacating the chair," he said.
Mr Slipper defected from the Liberal Party last year in a deal struck with Prime Minister Julia Gillard which saw him take on the Speaker role.
But at the end of last month, following the civil and criminal allegations made against him, Ms Gillard said she had asked him to extend his time away from the Speaker's chair.
The Federal Police are investigating the claims that Mr Slipper misused Cabcharge vouchers.
He has denied all allegations.
Slipper to take Speaker's chair briefly - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
