Liberal MP won't break ranks as speaker

(AAP) - Labor has secured the partial support of a senior Liberal MP following an 11th hour bid to break the deadlock over the role of the Speaker in the new parliament.

Liberal MP Alex Somlyay has agreed to support the government in terms of supply and
confidence, but has rejected other elements of a deal that would have seen him made
the Deputy Speaker in exchange for a guarantee on pairing of votes.
The government has confirmed Harry Jenkins will now be renominated for Speaker when
parliament resumes on Tuesday.
Mr Somlyay, who was dumped as the opposition's whip in the post-election reshuffle,
will still nominate for Deputy Speaker when the coalition party room meets on
Monday.
There is also speculation Labor may still try to turn a member of the coalition with
House Leader Anthony Albanese claiming a number of opposition MPs have raised
concerns about Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's decision to break an agreement on the
Speaker arrangement.
In a statement released on Friday afternoon, Mr Somlyay said he had been approached
by Labor to stand as its nominee for Deputy Speaker.
While the rejection of a pairing deal is a blow, as it would have preserved the
government's two-vote majority in the lower house, the offer of confidence and
supply bolsters Labor's chances of a stable government.
"I have been a proud member of the Liberal party room for 21 years and my commitment
to serve the Liberal-National Party remains strong," Mr Somlyay said.
"I support the coalition's decision to reject any pairing arrangements for the
Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions."
Earlier, a statement released by the Liberal party suggested Mr Somlyay had rejected
the entire deal.
However, the Queensland MP later clarified that the statement distributed by the
Liberal party was incorrect and he would support the government in terms of supply
and confidence.
Despite the breakthrough, Mr Albanese on Friday afternoon continued to attack Mr
Abbott, painting the opposition as a "wrecker" and the coalition as divided.
"There are many people in the coalition who are honourable people, who believe that
when you give your word, when you sign a document, you should stick to it.
"And many members of both the Liberal Party, but not exclusively, also the National
Party, have expressed their concern."
Mr Abbott on Thursday announced he would not be honouring a deal on proposed
arrangements for the pairing of the Speaker, agreed to as part of a wider
parliamentary reform document on September 6, on the grounds it would be
constitutionally unsound.
Labor has rejected Mr Abbott's comments, pointing to advice from the
Solicitor-General that said there was no impediment to a pairing arrangement so long
as it was informal.
In normal circumstances the government would provide both the Speaker and the Deputy
Speaker and the opposition would put up a reserve. The Speaker does not vote.
But under a deal struck between the major parties, the Greens and independent MPs in
the wake of the August 21 election, it was agreed Labor would provide the Speaker
and the coalition would provide the deputy, and both would not vote, in what is
known as pairing.
The arrangement would have allowed Labor to maintain a two-seat buffer in the lower
house, but Mr Abbott's decision to renege on the deal means Labor's majority will be
reduced to just one vote.
Mr Albanese suggested there were other coalition members who could still be
convinced to side with Labor, saying he had held discussions with several MPs.
It is understood Liberal MP Peter Slipper and Nationals MP Bruce Scott have also
been approached by Labor.
"There was an agreement that the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker would come from
different political parties. Tony Abbott wrecked that agreement, ripped it up and
walked away from it," Mr Albanese said.
"It is fair to say there is a great deal of anger within coalition ranks about the
actions of Tony Abbott."