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April 27th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Supposed proof that Peter Slipper did not misuse taxpayer-funded Cabcharge dockets is not enough for him to return to the Speaker’s chair, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says.
Mr Slipper on Thursday issued a statement along with photocopies of 13 Cabcharge dockets he said were completed in his handwriting.
It was proof that a criminal allegation against him was a complete fabrication, he said.
But Mr Abbott insists that doesn’t pave the way for Mr Slipper to resume his parliamentary position.
‘The coalition’s very firm position is that the Speaker should not attempt to retake the chair until all of the allegations against him, including the very serious sexual harassment allegations, have been fully dealt with and resolved,’ Mr Abbott told the Nine Network on Friday.
Mr Slipper stood aside as Speaker on the weekend pending a possible criminal investigation into the allegations he misused taxpayer-funded Cabcharge dockets.
But he also faces a civil lawsuit over claims he sexually harassed a male staff member.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard backs Mr Slipper returning to the Speaker’s chair once the criminal matters are resolved, arguing there’s no precedent for MPs standing down while civil cases are afoot.
However, Mr Abbott on Friday said the PM’s desire to have the issue resolved quickly was a ‘terrible double-standard’ given the years it had taken to investigate Labor MP Craig Thomson over allegations he misused funds while he was head of the Health Services Union.
Mr Abbott did not indicate if he would move a no-confidence motion in Mr Slipper when parliament resumes for the budget on May 8.
‘My strong instinct … is that it is highly unlikely that the Speaker will try to come back before the sexual harassment allegations are fully dealt with,’ he said.
Government house leader Anthony Albanese says the documents released by Mr Slipper prove him innocent of the most recent charge that he misused taxi vouchers.
‘Clearly they show that the allegations that had been made that he handed over blank Cabcharge dockets to a hire car driver on particular dates are simply not correct,’ Mr Albanese told ABC Radio.
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke said politicians shouldn’t play ‘judge, jury and executioner on this issue’.
But opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey said it was ‘extraordinary’ and ‘inappropriate’ that Ms Gillard was suggesting Mr Slipper could be reinstated when he had sexual harassment allegations hanging over his head.
‘As a member of parliament, I have standards. This is not up to my standards,’ he told the Seven Network.
‘For so long as all the allegations, very serious allegations, continue to be made against Peter Slipper, he has to stand down from the most significant position in the parliament.’
Key independent MP Andrew Wilkie agrees with the opposition leader that the documents released by Mr Slipper on Thursday night don’t change anything.
‘I am still firmly of the view that he should remain out of the Speaker’s chair until all of the allegations against him have been dealt with,’ Mr Wilkie told ABC Radio.
‘This isn’t just any old member of the House of Representatives. Peter Slipper is the Speaker – he controls the parliament and he safeguards the standards of the parliament.’
Mr Wilkie said all the relevant inquiries needed to be ‘concluded’ before Mr Slipper could sit back in the chair.
The Speaker was subject to a ‘higher standard’ than other members, he said.
‘No man or woman should sit in that chair while there is any allegation against them.
‘It’s troubling that some in the government at least think he should resume the chair once the criminal matters (only) are dealt with.’
The Tasmanian MP said he didn’t expect Mr Slipper to return to the chair when parliament resumed. If he did he expects there’ll be a no-confidence motion.
‘If Peter Slipper is sitting in the chair before all of these matters are dealt with I will either move or support a motion of no-confidence against him,’ Mr Wilkie said.
‘But I do not expect it will come to that.’
Mr Wilkie said the majority of Australians were ‘disgusted’ with Labor’s conduct – in particular they way it thrust Mr Slipper into the Speaker’s role so it could walk away from a deal to implement meaningful poker-machine reform.
However, he still believes the parliament will run full-term.
‘I think it is the will of the majority of members of the parliament.’
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