Queensland MP Milton Dick sworn in as Speaker of the 47th Parliament
A popular Queensland MP has been sworn in as the Speaker of the 47th Parliament in Canberra with praise from both sides of the house, with Bob Katter even taking to his feet in an impromptu display of support.
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Queensland’s Milton Dick has been voted in as the Speaker of the 47th Parliament, garnering the unexpected impromptu support of Bob Katter and a confession from a colleague in the process.
Mr Dick, the member for Oxley, is the third Queenslander to take up the role since World War II after being put forward by the government as their pick.
Labor colleague Susan Templeman (Macquarie) and Lisa Chesters (Bendigo), speaking in support of Mr Dick’s nomination as Speaker, described him as “calm” and “considered” and said he had a “prodigious memory for numbers”.
“The member for Oxley has the skills and the attributes required to be in the role of speaker. He is committed to listening to different colleagues for the best possible outcome,” Ms Chesters said.
And in an unexpected turn of events, Katter’s Australian Party patriarch Bob Katter MP took to his feet to voice his support for Mr Dick.
Reading from notes written on the back of a printout of Mr Dick’s Australian Parliament House biography, Mr Katter harked back to the times of Bill Hayden and said the Oxley MP would be the right choice.
The Coalition, as is procedure, nominated their own pick for Speaker — Fisher MP Andrew Wallace.
Fellow Queenslanders Karen Andrews (McPherson) and Bert van Manen (Forde) spoke in support of Mr Wallace as the alternative pick for Speaker.
Ms Andrews it was a “testament” to the Australian egalitarianism that an MP who was once a carpenter and whose father was a motor mechanic could “serve the community in this place”.
She also called on the new swath of independents to vote with the Coalition on the new speaker, calling it the “first test of their independence” — prompting government MPs to burst into jeers and laughter at the suggestion.
The all-Queensland showdown for Speaker was ultimately won by Mr Dick, 92 votes to 56 votes for Mr Wallace — for a total of 148 votes cast out of 151 MPs in total (the nominees do not vote and Scott Morrison is not in attendance).
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in congratulating Mr Dick, thanked him for his counsel over the years the pair had been friends.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton praised the fellow Queenslander for the “empathy” he had shown his constituents during the recent floods.
Labor MPs Milton Dick and Luke Gosling booted from Parliament for bringing in Muppets toys #auspolhttps://t.co/U1ShpAijqqpic.twitter.com/UWEOdRG7rO
— The Courier-Mail (@couriermail) September 20, 2018
The Leader of Government Business Tony Burke used his congratulatory speech to make a confession – that a stunt involving Muppets plush toys in 2018 that resulted in Mr Dick getting ejected from the House had been his idea.
“And (it was) entirely my idea that you do that, and you were chosen on the basis of at that point you were the only member of the (Labor) caucus who had not yet been thrown out,” Mr Burke said.
Mr Dick, taking up his spot in the Speaker’s chair, admitted he was feeling “a bit of fear right now” before paying homage to his colleagues and Queenslanders on both sides.
He paid tribute to his family, particularly his brother Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick and his sister Susan a long-time teacher who “passionately believes in the transformational nature of education”.
“It’s probably fair to say every speaker has said these words in some way or another over the years, but the difference is the people (of) Australia have sent a very clear message on how they expect to politics to be conducted,” he said.
“I want something different, and I’m keen to work with every member to see that change.
“But I need every member to commit to that change to make it work.”
Mr Dick, the younger brother of Queensland treasurer Cameron Dick, is a close confidant of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
He was first elected to the federal seat of Oxley in 2016 and prior to that served on Brisbane City Council from 2008.
Mr Dick is a former Queensland Labor state secretary and was at the helm when Kevin Rudd swept to power in 2007.
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