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Australia's speaker stands down over sexual harrasment claims | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Australia's parliamentary speaker is stepping down temporarily over a sexual harassment lawsuit that threatens to further weaken the prime minister Julia Gillard's hold on power. | |
Peter Slipper issued a statement "emphatically" denying all allegations made against him by a male former staff member. The speaker said he could not continue in his role pending investigation of the allegations in a lawsuit filed in Australia's federal court in Sydney on Friday. | |
"The allegations include both a claim of criminal behaviour and a claim under civil law," Slipper said. "As such I believe it is appropriate for me to stand aside as speaker while this criminal allegation is resolved." | |
Slipper, 62, indicated he would retain his seat in parliament. The former staffer, James Hunter Ashby, 33, also alleges misuse of taxpayer-funded taxi dockets by Slipper in the lawsuit. | |
The government holds an effective one-vote majority in the 150-member House of Representatives, parliament's lower chamber, thanks to votes from independents. | The government holds an effective one-vote majority in the 150-member House of Representatives, parliament's lower chamber, thanks to votes from independents. |
The deputy speaker, Anna Burke, is to act as speaker for the interim. Opposition leaders have called on Slipper to resign from his seat, a move that would force a byelection. | |
Gillard's Labor government has suffered poor poll figures in recent months, with the conservative opposition led by Tony Abbott building a big lead. Her position was bolstered when Slipper became speaker last year after defecting from the opposition. The speaker's position is ceremonial, but his casting vote can be significant in the event of a tie, where the speaker traditionally votes with the government. | |
Analysts said the row would not bring down Gillard's government, as independents backing her were unlikely to withdraw support and force a new election in which they could lose their seats. | |
"It is the latest in a litany of disasters that they have to deal with," said Nick Economou. of Melbourne's Monash University. "Mr Abbott will have a massive, massive majority. The government and its hangers-on won't want this to end prematurely." |
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