Will a gay sex scandal involving a Liberal MP bring down Julia Gillard?
April 22nd, 2012 at 4:37 pm by David FarrarNormally an allegation of a gay sex scandal involving someone elected as a Liberal Party MP would not concern the Leader of the Australian Labor Party and Prime Minister.
But it does when the MP is Peter Slipper. He was first elected to Parliament in 1993 and re-elected in 2010. But in November 2011 the Speaker of the Australian Parliament resigned, and Slipper became Speaker against the wishes of his own party to help the Government’s majority. He then resigned as a Liberal MP, and is now an Independent.
At the 2011 Federal Election both Labor and the Coalition won 72 seats. Gillard retained power by gaining four votes from the six cross-party MPs. They are:
- Adam Bandt, Greens
- Andrew Wilkie, Independent (former Green)
- Tony Windsor, Independent
- Rob Oakeshott, Independent
After losing the Speaker, The Government can only pass laws 75-74. When Slipper became Speaker, the numbers became 76-73. But Gillard renenged on a deal with Andrew Wilkie, which made the numbers 75-73-1.
If Slipper resigns and a Labor MP replaces him, then Gillard has just 74 seats and the Coalition probably 74 seats and Wilkie hold the balance of power. Does not guarantee the Government falls, but would be very unstable.
April 22nd, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Don’t think the scandel is the gay part but more about that fact Slipper hirded someone with the intention of having a sexual relationship with him and used his position to bring it about.
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Time the fact that MP’s are queer was published with their candidacy notices. The world is not better for them being there.
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Slipper will not resign and nor will Julia Gillard let him. He will soldier on until the position becomes impossible. The fate of Gillard will rest with the various independents Windsor and Oakshott. If they pull the plug then there will be an early election. Slipper was always going to be an accident waiting to happen and Tony Abbott must be in stitches with laughter over the Gillard Government being dependent on this clown and a Union Official.
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Slipper has stepped aside and plans to return to the Speakership one the criminal investigation has “cleared” him. I am not sure what step aside means. I assume this means he holds the position in a nominal capacity and his vote remains suspended from the parliament. The fate of his vote is what Julia Gillard will be mostly concerned with and this “stepping” aside preserves the status quo. This is NOT a gay sex scandal but a sexual harassment case. I always feel David deep down you are deeply homophobic.
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 7:10 pm
What a storm in a teacup.
James Ashby should have told him he wasn’t interested and to bugger off.
Why can’t people work things out amongst themselves anymore?
And tvb, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Everytime something ‘positve’ happens when a gay person is involved its trumpeted in the media by the ‘gay community’. First gay this, first gay that..etc.
Vote:Take the good with the bad or just stop it all. I favour the latter, I am just not interested who they go to bed with unless it affects their work and the decissions they make.
April 22nd, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Yeah, right, so if James Ashly happened to be female ( and Slipper straight) we’d be seeing the headline “HETERO SEX SCANDEL”.
Or is Ashley being an Asian we’d see “INTERRACIAL SEX SCANDEL”
Point being is that the type of sex involved is irrelevant. Calling it a “Gay” sex scandel is just nonsense, and I am surprised that DFP would call it that. Even the aussie papers just call it a sex scandal.
The point is that it constitutes sexual harressment, regardless.
Isn’t that exactly what tvb was saying? It has nothing to do with the sexuality.
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 8:02 pm
dear New Zealanders,
Vote:what happened in Queensland is very important.
Australia is going conservative.
April 22nd, 2012 at 8:07 pm
Hey eszett, I agree with you and tvb.
Vote:It’s a stupid headline.
What I am saying is, lets drop ALL the adjectives in ALL cases.
No more “Obama appoints gay ambassador….”, “Maori teenager in court……”, “Asian students……” etc.
In 99% of the cases it is absolutely unnecessary.
Saying that:
Why gay bars, clubs and hotels?
Rainbow tourism?
Wellington Lesbian Radio?
Gay bookshops?????
April 22nd, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Who really cares ??..
Another two faced politicion..
Thumbs down.. Feed him to the sharks..
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 8:45 pm
Australia is going conservative.
Australia was, is and will remain more conservative than NZ. There isn’t really any “going” about it.
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 9:05 pm
So now Slipper has stood aside. Perhaps that pushes (allegedly) totally corrupt Labour MP Craig Thomson to the forefront once more. [When head of the Health Services Union he used his union credit card to pay for prostitutes and a whole heap of other things to the tune of $100,000 or so. Allegedly. This has been under inquiry for the astonishing and outrageous period of more than three years. Not allegedly. The Health Services Union has recently been suspended by the Australian Council of Trades Unions because of the corruption found when he was in charge, but still he has the full confidence of La Gillard.]
News sources quote Gillard about Slipper: “Prime Minister Julia Gillard has issued a statement saying it is appropriate that Mr Slipper has stood aside while the alleged criminal conduct is investigated.” Though this is in total contrast to what she was saying right up until the moment that Slipper stood aside, which was that he had absolutely no need to.
There seems to be little to separate Slipper from Thomson insofar as the fairly obvious need to stand side is concerned. Except that Thomson would have to stand down from Parliament, which is another thing again. How many MP’s actually voluntarily step off of the gravy train? The time when amongst MP’s there was a sense of the need to do the honourable thing is long gone and I doubt that anyone in Australia can remember it.
But Gillard….she is absolutely brilliant at showing everyone just how totally unscrupulous politicians are. What I find truly astonishing is that opinion polls indicate that close on 30% of the population in Australian would still vote for her.
Vote:April 22nd, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Completely agree with you on the headlines, if it’s not relevant no need to mention it.
The same reason why you have student bars,student hotels, student travel, rock clubs, techo clubs, female bookstores, religious book stores, etc, etc.
You cater to a certain clientel. Can’t see why this is a problem?
Vote:April 23rd, 2012 at 5:54 am
I think the really important question here is whether there was a Swiss ball involved.
Vote:April 23rd, 2012 at 6:09 am
I agree, David – it is just a sex scandal; “gay sex scandal” would be appropriate if, for example, Slipper had campaigned for anti-gay causes (because it would be relevant to the perception of his integrity).
Vote: