A truly independent Speaker could renew Australia’s parliamentary democracy
The speakership has become so politicised in Australia that we’ve been blinded to the possibilities of a truly independent Speaker.
By making the speakership a political gift of the party in power, Australia is missing a opportunity for democratic renewal of its parliament.
Australia is different to the UK insofar as it lacks an independent speaker.
The reality is that the speakership has become so politicised in Australia – by both sides of politics – that we’ve been blinded to the possibilities that having a truly independent Speaker .
The Speaker of the House of Commons – the UK equivalent of Australia’s House of Representatives – must “resign from their political party” and continue to be apolitical in their retirement.
British election law provides for the Speaker to run at elections as “Speaker” rather than as a candidate with a party affiliation. Traditionally, the major parties do not run a candidate against the Speaker.
The Speaker’s political fortunes thus become divorced from the political fortunes of the party of which the Speaker was once a member. The Speaker speaks for parliament, not for the government.
Having a truly independent Speaker allows for the parliament, as an institution separate from the government, to keep ministers accountable.
The British Speaker works to keep ministers accountable, in part, through the Urgent Question. … a device which allows any Member of Parliament on any day to demand that a department supplies a minister to answer some issue that has arisen very suddenly.
The speaker has used this procedure as a way to allow the House, and particularly backbenchers, to ask the government about how it is responding to the most pressing issues of the day. Ministers are usually required to keep answering questions .
Without a truly independent Speaker presiding over how that accountability takes place, Australia’s parliamentary democracy is deficient.
On many occasions, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has spoken proudly of Australia’s constitutional roots in UK history. Whatever the lessons of history, it is time to consider whether Australia might learn something from Britain.

Dear Robert,

Thank You for this discussion.

It would be great if the Speaker could speak
for parliament, not for the government.

Having a truly independent Speaker would allow
for the parliament, as an institution separate
from the government to keep all ministers
accountable.

Yes please.

I agree it would be great to have an independent speaker, but wouldn't it be a bit hard to find a truly independent speaker?

Most people who are interested in politics have a fair idea of which party they are leaning towards at least, so I am not sure how such a speaker could not have at least a little bias towards their favoured party?

Mind you, they couldn't have chosen anyone more obviously biased towards the current Government than Bronwyn Bishop, so the next speaker should be an improvement on her :)

A panel of State people, the chief Justice on a rotating bases maybe? The CJ of NSW is Tom Bathurst AC,QC. Anyone would have to be better than Bronnie, if we use her as the yardstick, Ronald MacDonald would be a leading contender. They would only have to do no more than about 6 month each in every parliament. Require some training and staff and definatly no limos or helicopters!

Speakers of the House and Senate President; the position of ‘Chair’ in the upper and lower houses should be neutral, learned incumbents drawn from the ‘Departments of the Houses’ voted on by each house

The incumbents would maintain the positions until retirement, removable or attaining the age of 75 years, at which time the house would elect a new ‘Chair’.
I recommend the current Clarks of the houses be the first incumbents.
The positions of Deputy ‘Chair’, in each house, should be two in number, one nominated from each side of each house; they should be ‘Paired’.

JMCC, is was going along with your thinking but I have reservations about appointments "until they retire". Perhaps a 12 year term would work better in order to avoid the possibility the position has gone to their head and everyone wants them out.

Personally I don't like these life long appointments for any position.