August 03, 2015 12:16PM
Labor has called for an investigation report to be made public despite Speaker Bronwyn Bishop's resignation. Play Video
Bronwyn Bishop has resigned as Speaker after becoming embroiled in a travel expenses scandal. Source: AP
EXCLUSIVE
Veteran MP Philip Ruddock has declared he is available for the role of Speaker and has vowed to be “fair”, “fearless” and “non-partisan” if he secured the role.
The Father of the House, who has been in federal parliament since 1973, said he is happy to serve in the position if that is what his colleagues wanted.
“I’ve had a small number of people call me about whether or not I would be interested in the role,” Mr Ruddock told News Corp Australia.
“But I am not going to pre-empt what all my colleagues want. If they do decide they want me as Speaker I am available and happy to serve.”
However Mr Ruddock said those small number of colleagues did not yet include the Prime Minister.
“I suspect he is going to wait and see what the majority of the party wants,” Mr Ruddock said.
The 72-year-old said if he was placed in the role of Speaker he would seek to be a “middle ground” Speaker.
“I hope I would be fair and fearless,” the member for Berowra in Sydney said.
“I think when you are in that position you do need to step back from being unduly partisan.
“If you look at the Westminster system, on which ours is modelled, that is the way Speakers have been over time.”
Ready to work ... Phillip Ruddock said he’d be willing to take the role of Speaker. Source: Supplied
Asked to reflect on former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop’s style - who was often criticised for being too partisan - Mr Ruddock simply said he would be more of a middle ground speaker, if his colleagues chose him for the role.
“I would say some people like that (partisan) style but I prefer more of a middle ground approach,” Mr Ruddock said.
“I would point people to my position as Deputy Speaker in the 1980s and judge me based on that.”
The veteran MP, who is the longest serving parliamentarian in the House of Representatives, was dumped as chief government whip by the Prime Minister following the leadership spill in February.
Mr Ruddock was said to be privately furious about the move which pinned him for apparently not keeping Mr Abbott adequately informed of the level of discontent amongst his party.
However, publicly, Mr Ruddock respected the move.
SHORTEN: BISHOP LOVED THE ‘HIGH LIFE’
His comments come as Opposition Leader Bill Shorten criticised Bronwyn Bishop, saying she was addicted to spending in the wake of her resignation over travel expenses.
“What is clear is that Ms Bishop was addicted to the high life,” the Opposition Leader told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.
Asked if politicians should all fly economy class rather than business, as suggested recently by western Sydney MP Craig Laundy, Mr Shorten agreed.
“If it is a short distance then yes probably so,” Mr Shorten said.
Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten criticises Bronwyn Bishop’s spending habits. Picture: AAP Source: AAP
MALCOLM TURNBULL WARNS MPS
His comments come after Malcolm Turnbull urged his colleagues to rein in their entitlement spending, and instead view expense claims “as though it was our own money”.
The Communications Minister, who last week took a train from Melbourne to Geelong in an apparent swipe at Ms Bishop extravagant helicopter ride, said the culture of entitlement needed to cease.
“I personally like to take public transport because I find it more interesting and engaging,” Mr Turnbull told ABC Radio.
“But however you get around you’ve got to bear in mind that it is other people’s money and to use it responsibly and prudently. And to use no more than you need to do your job.”
While he welcomed the Prime Minister’s announced review into the entitlement system, ultimately Mr Turnbull said it was up to individual members and senators to do the right thing.
“At the end of the day it depends on individual members and senators spending no more than they need to get the job done,” he said.
Twitter photo tweeted by Malcolm Turnbull of himself catching the train from Melbourne to Geelong to visit Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson. No helicopters used. Source: Twitter
“I also take issue with the whole word entitlements - you’re not entitled to anything. If you were working for a business it would simply be called travel expenses because it is the expenses of doing your job.”
Mr Turnbull believed a smartphone app can bring the parliamentary entitlements system into the 21st century.
Mr Turnbull has welcomed a review into the system, telling Sky News it was stuck “very much in the last century” with the potential for plenty of money and paperwork to be saved.
WILKIE CALLS ON AFP TO INVESTIGATE
Key independent Andrew Wilkie, who was prepared to co-sponsor a motion of no confidence in Ms Bishop if she did not resign as Speaker, said he believed the Australian Federal Police needed to investigate any potential fraudulent activity.
“I am pleased that Bronwyn Bishop has finally seen sense and resigned from the Speakership, but that must not be the end of it,” Mr Wilkie told ABC radio.
“Some of the trips she has taken could be said to be fraudulent.
“I am not accusing Bronwyn Bishop of fraud I am simply saying on the face of it there is something very dodgy here and it really should be looked into by the Australian Federal Police not the finance department.”
Andrew Wilkie says the AFP should investigate if Bronwyn Bishop committed fraud. Source: News Corp Australia
Mr Wilkie said he had personally experienced his colleagues coming to Tasmania for private trips and then asking to meet with him for a coffee so they could claim the trip on entitlements.
“If any member of parliament including the Speaker has gone on a trip and paid for it at public expense, if that person was actually on a principally private trip and he or she signs a form at the time saying it was an official trip principally for official purposes then that is fraud,” Mr Wilkie said.
Parliamentary secretary Steve Ciobo told ABC TV today the Bronwyn Bishop’s travel expenses saga “diminishes all of us as members of parliament”.
Politicians had two tests to satisfy with their travel claims - the parliamentary rules and community expectations.
Mr Ciobo said it would be great if a woman replaced Mrs Bishop as Speaker.
“I think it’s important to have someone who is strong and someone who has some experience with the parliament obviously,” he said.
Ms Bishop yesterday announced her resignation after three weeks of furore over her expense claims.
BETS ON RUDDOCK TO REPLACE BISHOP
The Herald Sun originally revealed that the speaker last year paid $5227 to charter a helicopter from Melbourne to Geelong at taxpayer expense. The journey takes just over an hour by car.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott yesterday announced a review into the entitlements system and said the rules were ambiguous.
The contest for the coveted role of Speaker is set to intensify today after Mr Abbott began consultations with colleagues last night.
Cabinet Minister Scott Morrison who last week refused to back Ms Bishop said whoever took her job needed to be the right candidate.
“I think there are a lot of good candidates and it is important the parliament now does its job,” Mr Morrison told 2GB’s Ray Hadley.
“Obviously Philip is the father of the house and is very experienced and a very good candidate but there are many other good candidates and I think its important for the party to go through the grass roots process to move forward with a new speaker.”
Bookies have Mr Ruddock as the firm favourite to take the Speaker’s chair.
Mr Ruddock’s odds have shortened from $4 down to $2 according to the latest run sheet.
Larger than life independent MP Clive Palmer is the longest odds at $251 out from $101.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott held a press conference to announce that Bronwyn Bishop resigned from the position of speaker. Source: News Corp Australia
ALTERNATIVE SPEAKER OPTIONS
By Peter Jean
Senior South Australian federal Liberal MP Andrew Southcott has emerged as a possible replacement.
Dr Southcott, who has been the MP for Boothby since 1996, is being promoted as an alternative to “Father of the House’’ Philip Ruddock and soon-to-retire Nationals MP Bruce Scott.
The former medical practitioner has confirmed he has been approached by colleagues about running for the post.
“I’m flattered that my name has been mentioned. It’s not a position I’ve been seeking and I’ll be talking with my colleagues,’’ Dr Southcott said.
“It would be an honour for any member to be Speaker.’’
Dr Southcott served as an opposition shadow minister and parliamentary secretary between 2007 and 2013.
Labor wants Deputy Speaker Bruce Scott to take over from Mrs Bishop.
Mr Scott, a Queensland Liberal National Party MP, is planning to retire from Parliament at the next election.
Another possible candidate is Victorian Liberal MP Sharman Stone, who recently spoke out in favour of the Coalition preselecting more female candidates for Parliament.
The Speaker is elected by the House of Representatives. The Coalition’s majority on the floor of the House ensures its candidate will be elected.
The government parties are expected to meet next week to select a candidate.
Bronwyn Bishop resignation: Malcolm Turnbull urges MPs to spend less
