RTX1MPQK
IN PHOTO: Speaker of the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop listens to a speech in Australia's Parliament House in Canberra in this picture taken November 17, 2014. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on August 2, 2015 announced a wide-ranging inquiry into politicians’ entitlements after a scandal that plagued his government for weeks claimed the scalp of Speaker of the House Bronwyn Bishop. Bishop, 72, a close Abbott ally and presiding officer in the lower house of parliament, tendered her resignation after being criticised for spending over A$5,000 in public funds to charter a helicopter to attend a fundraiser for the ruling Liberal Party. Picture taken November 17, 2014. REUTERS/David Gray

With the announcements of a review into the entitlement system by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Australian Federal Opposition has welcomed it but wants the reports of the investigation led by the Finance Department into Bronwyn Bishop's alleged misuse of travel expenses made public.

Labor has criticised Tony Abbott for supporting the former speaker and claiming that she hasn’t done anything wrong. MPs of the party further said that it was very wrong on Mr Abbott’s part to blame the entitlements system for the whole act.

On Sunday, Mr Abbott announced the review into parliamentary entitlements after Bishop resigned as Speaker under the pressure from the MPs of the parliament over the scandal of her travel expenses.

Labor's Waste Watch spokesman Pat Conroy believes that her resignation was a proof of her wrongdoing, “ otherwise she wouldn't have resigned ,” he told ABC radio on Monday. Similarly, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, while backing the review, said that Mr Abbott was wrong in blaming the gap that exists between lawful entitlements and expectations.

“For the prime minister to suggest that Bronwyn Bishop was just doing what everyone does ... he is being quite mischievous,” he told ABC radio. He added that some of Bishop's trips could be considered fraudulent.

Parliamentary Secretary Steve Ciobo, expressing disgust over the scandal, said that it “diminishes all of us as members of parliament.” He said he would be glad if another woman takes up the role. However, he also said that someone who has experience with the parliament and equally credible should serve as Speaker.

Senior Cabinet Minister Andrew Robb felt that the Speaker must go beyond political interests and be independent from their party’s influence. On ABC radio when he was asked about his opinion on Labor’s decision to make the reports of investigations public, he stressed on the degree of independence that should be maintained while holding the position of the speaker.

Agreeing to Robb’s opinion, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also said the Speaker needed to be more independent. Meanwhile, from his side, he nominated the current deputy Bruce Scott as a suitable replacement.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.

RELATED STORIES