It’s been a very strange few weeks since the Bronwyn Bishop controversy began, but at the centre of it all has been talk of who will sit in the chair when parliament sits again on August 10, and what type of Speaker they will be.
Well, today is August 10, and the MPs have spoken: Tony Smith will be the new House of Representatives Speaker.
The mild-mannered Victorian Liberal MP is the 30th Speaker since Federation and had the support of
Earlier, Government frontbencher Josh Frydenberg told Sky News Mr Smith had his support.
“I’ve made it very clear to my colleagues that I am backing my fellow Victorian Tony Smith,” he said.
“I think he is well credentialed with more than a decade’s experience in the [position of] parliament chairman of the joint committee on electoral matters.”
The majority of MPs who spoke to the ABC nominated Mr Smith as the favourite.
The ABC have helpfully compiled some fast facts about Tony Smith:
Mr Smith has been described by colleagues as both mild-mannered and an “absolute revhead”, but unlike his predecessor Brown Bishop, Mr Smith has said he will remove himself from party room tactics while he holds the position.
“I will not be attending weekly party meetings.
“It’s my view that the Speaker should not only be, but also should be seen to be, independent of the partisan day-to-day fray.