2 weeks Ago By James Massola
Independent MPs Andrew Wilkie and Rebekha Sharkie have had informal discussions with Labor and the Coalition about becoming Speaker of the House if the May 3 election delivers a hung parliament. While both MPs played down the likelihood of the appointment, they both said informal conversations had taken place, they would take any offer seriously, and they were attracted to the prestigious role. The Speaker plays a critical role in running the parliament, setting the rules, providing guidance on what questions are in or out of order and even throwing ill-disciplined MPs out of the chamber.
Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie and Member for Clark Andrew Wilkie speak in the House of Representatives in 2022. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Both Wilkie and Sharkie declined to say who they had spoken to from the two major parties about the high-profile role, which pays close to $400,000 per year, or which party they would be prepared to serve as Speaker. Both stressed that no formal negotiations had taken place.
Wilkie, a Tasmanian who has held the seat of Clark since 2010, said the discussions had been with members of senior staff from both sides, rather than directly with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese or Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. “The issue has come up in casual conversation with people on both sides,” Wilkie said. “I think this is understandable given the polls and everyone is brainstorming all the ‘what ifs’ but there has been no formal approach.
I have to get re-elected first. What I would do if there was such an approach, I would have to work out at the time. “Over the years my thinking has fluctuated from ‘no way in the world’ to being open-minded.
I would be open to it if something like that came up and it was necessary for parliament to be stable.” Refusing to rule anything in or out, Wilkie added: “I’m attracted to the idea but let’s see what happens in the election.” Sharkie, who holds the South Australian seat of Mayo and entered parliament in 2016, said there had been “nothing formal at all” in discussions she’d had about the role and cautioned the discussion was purely hypothetical.
“If I was approached, I would certainly consider it and it would be hugely flattering if offered,” she said. “But if you look at the polls, I’m not sure it will be a minority government. Plus it’s a little disrespectful to Milton Dick, who has been an extraordinary Speaker.
“I like being on the Speakers Panel [a group of MPs who fill in for the Speaker in the chamber at times], but I’m not sure I could manage question time,” she joked. In the event of a hung parliament, both Labor and the Coalition will be scrambling to win support from the crossbench – Sharkie and Wilkie’s willingness to be Speaker could further complicate negotiations. If a crossbencher were appointed to the role, that would give the government one extra vote on the floor of the House, as the Speaker typically only casts a vote in the event of a tie.
Dick, like his Liberal predecessor Tony Smith, is widely regarded as an excellent Speaker and one who has conducted himself impartially, as is expected in the role. But there is a precedent for an independent Speaker being appointed during a hung parliament. Peter Slipper came under fire when he defected from the Coalition to become Speaker in a Labor government.
Credit: Andrew Meares Former Liberal National Party MP Peter Slipper served in the role for several months in 2011-12 after then-Leader of the House Anthony Albanese convinced him to quit the Coalition and move to the crossbench to take the job. Slipper’s appointment meant the well-regarded former Labor speaker Harry Jenkins had to stand aside. Slipper was then forced to resign after allegations he had misused cab charge vouchers and claims he had sent lewd texts.
In the United Kingdom, the Speaker is independent and stops attending party room meetings after their elevation. In contrast, in Australia Speakers typically continue to attend party room or caucus meetings and engage in party politics. Some former speakers, such as Bronwyn Bishop, have remained fiercely partisan in the job.
A Coalition spokesperson said any claims that “anyone on the crossbench” had been offered a role in any future government were “categorically false”. “The teals voting record of siding with Labor and the Greens the majority of the time speaks for itself.” Labor declined to comment.
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