illustration by Gus...

Of course anything will do with the rags from the Murdoch press... except headlines in the illustration above which at one stage may have made the News of the World... One can despair, but not too much: as soon as someone farts, it's nukular blast from the left according to the Telegraph... Anything that moves an inch is a scandal of universal proportion as long as Gillard is to be blame for it, directly or indirectly or whatever... As long as Labor hurts, it's all good, even if untrue... and of course the rabid monkey Abbott jumps on any whiff of alleged farting. Abbott is of course holier than thou and he should be canonised forthwith, by the Australian infantry if possible in a howling howitzer...

The government says allegations of sexual harassment by Speaker Peter Slipper should be tested in court without political interference.

Mr Slipper has denied claims published in News Limited newspapers on Saturday that he sexually harassed a male staffer and misused Cabcharges.

The civil claims against Mr Slipper, made in court documents obtained by the newspaper, allege he recruited 33-year-old James Ashby to pursue a sexual relationship with him.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/slipper-claims-need-testing-albanese-20120421-1xdcy.html#ixzz1seyJ2TxP

conclusion: Abbott should go...

Federal Parliament Speaker Peter Slipper has returned home to calls for him to stand aside while allegations against him are investigated.

Mr Slipper has denied claims published in News Limited newspapers that he sexually harassed a former male staffer and misused taxpayer-funded Cabcharge dockets.

The opposition says Mr Slipper should resign. Opposition Senate leader Eric Abetz says the coalition wants Mr Slipper removed from parliament due to the issues swirling around him.

Mr Slipper resigned from the Liberal Party to become Speaker in November 2011. "The Labor Party in full knowledge of those issues deliberately embraced him and elevated him to the top position that the parliament has to offer, namely the speakership," Senator Abetz told Sky News on Sunday.

"That is where (Prime Minister) Ms Gillard is now hoist on her own petard and she is in a very real difficulty. She has to call on Mr Slipper to resign if he doesn't do so willingly himself."

Mr Ashby, 33, reportedly launched legal action in the Federal Court on Friday alleging the Sunshine Coast MP had made unwelcome advances towards him and had sent him sexually explicit text messages.

Mr Slipper denied the allegations when questioned by reporters at Los Angeles airport on Saturday.

The government says the sexual harassment allegations should be tested in court without political interference.

Senator Abetz said there had been a formal complaint in relation to Mr Slipper's personal behaviour while he was a member of the coalition.

"There clearly is now and (that) will be pursued in the courts," he said.

"I understand there are now investigations in relation to criminal activity both of which occurred whilst he was Julia Gillard's Speaker in the house."

Treasurer Wayne Swan said he had seen allegations about MPs "come and go" during his long time in parliament.

Mr Slipper was entitled to the presumption of innocence while the matters were before the court, he said.

"These are allegations that are in legal proceedings," Mr Swan told ABC Television on Sunday.

"We should respect those legal proceedings. We should respect those processes."

Mr Swan said the opposition will use the allegations as a distraction from the economic debate as he prepares to deliver his fifth budget on May 8.

"They are going to want to run away from an economic debate, come what may," Mr Swan said.

"But here when it comes to legal proceedings, they are things that I don't intend to comment (on)."

Opposition leader Tony Abbott said Julia Gillard had to restore the integrity of the parliament following allegations of the "gravest kind" made against Mr Slipper.

"If the Speaker will not voluntarily stand aside while these allegations are being resolved, the prime minister must indicate to him that she will act to force him to stand aside," Mr Abbott told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.

"This is a question of the prime minister's judgment, her integrity, her sense of the standing of the parliament and she cannot afford to wash her hands of this as she has washed her hands of the Craig Thomson matter."

Federal Labor MP Mr Thomson remains under pressure over investigations involving allegations of financial mismanagement of the Health Services Union when he was its national secretary.

The prime minister cannot directly dismiss Mr Slipper from the Speakership but he could lose his position by a vote in the House of Representatives.

Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard had acted 12 months ago when there was a sex scandal at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).

ADFA commandant Bruce Kafer was placed on leave while the Kirkham inquiry investigated the claims. The official inquiry's report, delivered last month, exonerated Commodore Kafer over his handling of the Skype sex affair.

"The government immediately stepped in to require the commandant of ADFA to step aside while these allegations were being investigated and resolved," Mr Abbott said.

"If it was right for the commandant of ADFA to step aside to protect the integrity of that institution, it is surely right for the Speaker to step aside to protect the integrity of the parliament."

Slipper 'Should Resign'

Given her willingness to convict Julian Assange without charge or trial, there is, perhaps, an argument that Slipper should be arrested & locked-up, just in case someone decides to do something about him …. although, for his sake, let’s hope that Fair Work Australia doesn’t get involved, as he could die of old age in goal waiting for a result.

As for Tony Abbott: ever the lying scumbag. The Australian government did NOT require Commodore Kafer to step aside whilst the ADFA enquiries/investigations we made. That decision was made by the Vice-Chief of the Defence Force.

You’ve got to hand it to Tony Abbott – willing to lie & dissemble at every opportunity to further his political ambitions, whilst Chris Uhlmann gives him a ‘free ride’.

Here’s Abbott, as bold as brass, claiming that the government has a responsibility to intervene in the Slipper matter, because it had seen fit to require the commandant of ADFA, Commodore Kafer, to stand-down last year during investigations around allegations of sexual misconduct.

Of course, as Abbott well knows (& Uhlmann should know), the government did NOT require Commodore Kafer to stand-down. That decision was taken by the Vice-Chief of the Defence Force.

And, as Bob Brown rightly pointed-out on Q%A last night, whilst Abbott piously lectures & hectors the world on the moral & management deficiencies of the Gillard government, in its dealings with the complaints of a 33 year-old man, he has nothing to say about ‘standing down’ those in our churches & other institutions who have interfered with 13 year-children. How come Chris didn’t ask Abbott that question?

The stench that comes-off Abbott & the laziness of the ABC’s 7:30 Report ‘journalists’ are equally as frightening.

Free kicks for the rite wing at the ABC.... See

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/13265