Peter Slipper
Encyclopedia
Peter Neil Slipper Australia
n politician
, has served as the 27th Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
since November 2011, after serving as Deputy Speaker following the 2010 election. Previously he had served as a parliamentary secretary
and whip
in the Howard government
.
Slipper is an independent member of the Australian House of Representatives
representing the Division of Fisher
, Queensland
, a seat which he has held since 1993. He previously represented the same division for the Nationals
from 1984 to 1987. Slipper was affiliated with the Liberal Party
's Queensland division from 1993 until its merger with the Nationals' Queensland division in 2008. He remained a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland until his election as Speaker in 2011, when he resigned from the party and became an independent.
, Queensland, and was educated at Pimlico High School, Townsville
, Ipswich Grammar School and the University of Queensland
. He has worked as a barrister and businessman.
In Opposition, from 2007 to 2010, he was Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Public Works.
Slipper has been noted for his alleged overuse of parliamentary entitlements and his long-term disagreements with the Liberal-National Coalition. LNP members had moved in to Slipper's electorate in attempts to preselect former MP Mal Brough
for his seat of Fisher at the next election
. It is claimed that local newspaper Sunshine Coast Daily has led a "savage" campaign to remove Slipper from his seat since the 2007 election when the Coalition lost government.
On 28 September 2010, Slipper was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives by a tally of 78 votes to 71, defeating the Nationals' member, Bruce Scott
.
Following the resignation of Harry Jenkins
as Speaker in the 43rd Parliament, Slipper was nominated unopposed and installed as Speaker on 24 November 2011. As a member of the opposition, Slipper's acceptance of Labor's nomination as Speaker was considered a "renegade" action and opposition leader Tony Abbott
threatened to expel him from the party for his action. Slipper resigned from the Liberal National Party on taking the Speaker's seat and continues in parliament as an independent member.
(TAC), having succeeded Michael Atkinson
. In 2008, he was ordained as a priest of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia
which is a member church of the Traditional Anglican Communion and considered part of the international Continuing Anglican movement
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, has served as the 27th Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
since November 2011, after serving as Deputy Speaker following the 2010 election. Previously he had served as a parliamentary secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
and whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in the Howard government
Howard Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
.
Slipper is an independent member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
representing the Division of Fisher
Division of Fisher
The Division of Fisher is anAustralian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Andrew Fisher, three times Prime Minister of Australia. It is located in the Sunshine Coast area north of Brisbane and includes the towns of Caloundra, Mooloolaba, Beerwah,...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, a seat which he has held since 1993. He previously represented the same division for the Nationals
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
from 1984 to 1987. Slipper was affiliated with the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
's Queensland division from 1993 until its merger with the Nationals' Queensland division in 2008. He remained a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland until his election as Speaker in 2011, when he resigned from the party and became an independent.
Early life
Slipper was born in IpswichIpswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
, Queensland, and was educated at Pimlico High School, Townsville
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
, Ipswich Grammar School and the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
. He has worked as a barrister and businessman.
Parliament
Slipper was government whip from 1997 to 1998, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration from 1998 to 2004 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 2002 to 2003.In Opposition, from 2007 to 2010, he was Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Public Works.
Slipper has been noted for his alleged overuse of parliamentary entitlements and his long-term disagreements with the Liberal-National Coalition. LNP members had moved in to Slipper's electorate in attempts to preselect former MP Mal Brough
Mal Brough
Malcolm Thomas "Mal" Brough is a former Australian politician and Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 to November 2007, representing the Division of Longman, Queensland...
for his seat of Fisher at the next election
Next Australian federal election
A federal election was held on Saturday, 21 August 2010 for members of the 43rd Parliament of Australia. The incumbent centre-left Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard won a second term against the opposition centre-right Liberal/National Coalition led by Opposition Leader...
. It is claimed that local newspaper Sunshine Coast Daily has led a "savage" campaign to remove Slipper from his seat since the 2007 election when the Coalition lost government.
On 28 September 2010, Slipper was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives by a tally of 78 votes to 71, defeating the Nationals' member, Bruce Scott
Bruce Scott
Bruce Craig Scott , Australian politician, has been a National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1990, representing the Division of Maranoa, Queensland. He was born in Roma, Queensland, and was a wool and grain grower before entering politics...
.
Following the resignation of Harry Jenkins
Harry Jenkins
Henry Alfred "Harry" Jenkins , an Australian politician, is a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Division of Scullin, Victoria, since the 1986 by-election for the Australian Labor Party...
as Speaker in the 43rd Parliament, Slipper was nominated unopposed and installed as Speaker on 24 November 2011. As a member of the opposition, Slipper's acceptance of Labor's nomination as Speaker was considered a "renegade" action and opposition leader Tony Abbott
Tony Abbott
Anthony John "Tony" Abbott is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election...
threatened to expel him from the party for his action. Slipper resigned from the Liberal National Party on taking the Speaker's seat and continues in parliament as an independent member.
Priest
Slipper is chancellor of the Traditional Anglican CommunionTraditional Anglican Communion
The Traditional Anglican Communion is an international communion of churches in the continuing Anglican movement independent of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The TAC upholds the theological doctrines of the Affirmation of St. Louis and an Anglo-Catholic interpretation of...
(TAC), having succeeded Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson
Michael John Atkinson , an Australian politician, was the South Australian Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and Minister for Multicultural Affairs in the Rann Labor Government. A day after the 2010 election, he stepped down as Attorney-General and resigned...
. In 2008, he was ordained as a priest of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia
Anglican Catholic Church in Australia
The Anglican Catholic Church in Australia is the regional jurisdiction of the Traditional Anglican Communion for most of Australia and also provides episcopal oversight for New Zealand and Japan...
which is a member church of the Traditional Anglican Communion and considered part of the international Continuing Anglican movement
Continuing Anglican Movement
The term Continuing Anglican movement refers to a number of churches in various countries that have been formed outside of the Anglican Communion. These churches generally believe that "traditional" forms of Anglican faith and worship have been unacceptably revised or abandoned within some...
.