A scathing editorial in The Australian today calls for the appointment of a new Speaker to replace the incumbent, Neil Andrew.

The editorial says “Mr Howard should resist pressure to return Mr. Andrew to the chair in which he did not distinguish himself”.

The newspaper claims that Mr. Andrew has been inconsistent in his rulings, despite the fact that he was willing to stand up to government ministers, as shown when he expelled Tony Abbott in the previous parliament.

Of Parliament, the paper says it is time to restore “some public faith in this tarnished institution” and ridicules the idea reported in some newspapers today that dumped minister Bronwyn Bishop may get the Speaker’s job: “If Bronwyn Bishop, still stinging at her ejection from the ministry, is the best hope for an impartial Speaker, we’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel.” [Read more…]