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Tony Smith

April 2022

The Howard-Costello government’s GST wasn’t bipartisan reform – but 20 years later no one would think of scrapping it.

Future parliaments must return to a far-reaching reform agenda

Continued borrowing to fund recurrent spending would not be a new way forward in normal times – it would be an old way backwards to a weaker economy.

  • Tony Smith

November 2021

Prime Minister Scott Morrison

Hours after a report on bad behaviour, MPs were back to the old ways

It’s just not possible to be nice when the ultimate objective of each party is to destroy each other.

  • Phillip Coorey
Roshena Campbell

She was a star Liberal candidate. The party passed

Did Liberal leaders convince a Melbourne lawyer of Indian heritage to seek a federal seat she couldn’t win?

  • Aaron Patrick

October 2021

Julie Owens

Labor MP retires from key seat, as scramble for speakership starts

Veteran Labor backbencher Julie Owens is quitting her marginal western Sydney seat, which is on the government’s election target list.

  • Andrew Tillett

September 2021

Senate President Scott Ryan during Lunch at Parliament House in Canberra.

Senate President Scott Ryan to resign

Senator Ryan will quit this year, creating a casual vacancy and an election for a new presiding officer.

  • Updated
  • Tom McIlroy
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July 2021

Tony Smith will not contest the next federal election.

Libs optimistic about holding the Speaker’s seat in Victoria

Victorian Liberals are reasonably confident the party will retain the marginal seat of Casey in Melbourne at the next federal election.

  • Phillip Coorey
Speaker Tony Smith has been a steadying influence in Parliament over the past six years.

‘Best Speaker in 50 years’ calls it quits

Highly regarded Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith has decided not to contest the next federal election.

  • Phillip Coorey

March 2021

Liberal MP Andrew Laming has announced he will quit politics at the next election and in the meantime seek professional empathy training.

Drug tests push for MPs as Laming calls time

The government has been further destabilised by calls from Liberal women to introduce mandatory alcohol and drug testing at Parliament.

  • John Kehoe

February 2020

Tony Smith's first Holden was a 1972 HQ Monaro

The day the Speaker came home with a red HQ Monaro

Parliamentary Speaker and Holden nut Tony Smith says the decline of the brand is sad, but expected.

  • Phillip Coorey
Llew O'Brien was congratulated by Scott Morrison after the vote.

Morrison government loses shock vote on deputy speaker

Disaffected National Llew O'Brien becomes deputy speaker, in an embarrassing loss for the Coalition.

  • Tom McIlroy

October 2019

Senator Mitch Fifield delivers his valedictory in the Senate at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday 30 July 2019.

Peter Costello leads Mitch Fifield send-off

On Friday, Fifield gathered those who still remember him for lunch at Melbourne institution, Bamboo House.

  • Joe Aston

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/person/anthony-david-hawthorn-smith-1n8i