ABC News Radio

SUBJECTS: Peter Slipper scandal E&OE……… Marius Benson: Christopher Pyne you said three or four weeks ago that you now accepted that Parliament would run its course up to an election at the end of next year.  Is that still your view or do you think there will be an earlier election? Christopher Pyne: Well the twists and turns of this Parliament surprise us all Marius and I don’t think anybody expected the Speaker to be standing down in the spectacular fashion that has occurred over the weekend. So the Government has lost its clear working majority and with the status of Andrew Wilkie indicating that he will not be reliable for the Government we are thrust back in to the situation where the Government relies on the tainted vote of Craig Thomson to remain in power. Benson: So has that revived your hopes that there might be an early election? Pyne: Well the best thing for the country would be an early election.  Te public want to be put out of their misery of this minority government or his hung Parliament.  They want a political party that has a clear mandate in the House of Representatives and obviously the position of the speaker being that he will be absent and not present in the Parliament means there is more chance of an early election than there was on Friday last week. Benson: The Speaker said himself that he will stand aside while criminal charges are dealt with.  You say in addition that while the civil allegations of sexual harassment are dealt with he should stand down until that’s resolved.  The Government says it’s a double standard on your part – the people facing civil allegations don’t have to stand down. Pyne: Well it’s quite the opposite in fact.  It’s the standard adopted by the Government in relation to Commodore Kafer from the Australian Defence Force Academy. Benson: He wasn’t in Parliament – the Government is talking specifically about people in Parliament.  Malcolm Turnbull, facing civil charges as Opposition Leader, did not stand down. Pyne: Well  he Government can run out all this ancient history if they wish to prop up their support for the Speaker.  If they want to attach themselves to the Speaker and defend him then they are very welcome to do so. Benson: When Parliament resumes in a couple of weeks, will you move no confidence to test the Government’s support or as things stand with Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott the two independents seemingly backing the Government is there no point? Pyne: Well Marius I’m not going to get into ‘what is the opposition’s tactics going to be’ on a daily basis.  The truth is the Government has lost the confidence of the Australian people and if the Prime Minister had any integrity or judgement she wouldn’t have dispatched Harry Jenkins as Speaker last year in order to shoehorn Peter Slipper in to the job. Benson: You’re enjoying the Government’s discomfort in its association now with Peter Slipper but obviously you are not unconnected to Peter Slipper.  He was one of yours, he was a Liberal, stayed in your ranks in the face of sexual harassment claims that were made to John Howard’s office in 2003 so you aren’t greatly distanced from him. Pyne: Marius it is a very different situation.  There has never been any sexual harassment charges taken against Peter Slipper during the period of the Howard Government.  This matter involving Mr Slipper’s staffer has occurred since he was Speaker, since the Labor Party decided to embrace him and dispatch Harry Jenkins in his favour. And the Government wears this absolutely.  There has never been any sexual harassment claims made against Mr Slipper during the period of the Howard Government. Benson: Well in fact in 2003 there was a report to John Howard’s office – to a senior officer in that office – on harassment and a video was allegedly provided showing evidence of that harassment. Pyne: Marius, I don’t think that’s correct.  This is the first time anyone has taken a Federal Court action against Mr Slipper for sexual harassment and I think we both know that. Benson: This is the first court action not the first allegation.   The allegations went to John Howard’s office. Pyne: Marius, the first court action and when someone takes an action to court it is quite a different matter to making a complaint internally. Benson: I’ll leave it there thanks again Christopher Pyne. Pyne: Thank you ENDS