The ever-escalating plot on Bronwyn Bishop‘s preferred method of taxpayer-funded travel has thickened today, as the Speaker claimed the scandal was a “beat-up” by politicians and the media. “There’s been a political beat-up and I’m very sorry it’s taken the heat off Mr Shorten and his triple-whammy carbon tax bill,” Bronwyn Bishop said today.
Bishop flew from Melbourne to Geelong on a $5227 chartered helicopter flight; the Speaker has since refunded the money as it “looked large.”
The presser wasn’t received too warmly.
#BronwynBishop presser was the aviation equivalent of a forced landing on a petting zoo. #auspol
— Justin Smith (@JustinSmith954) July 18, 2015
While calls for the Speaker’s resignation over the scandal are swelling, Prime Minister Tony Abbott firmly stood by Bishop today, saying, “She’s a good speaker, she has my confidence.”
Citing the Finance Department’s current investigation into Bishop’s use of funds for the flight, Tony Abbott told reporters that Bishop should not stand aside over the incident. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to stand aside simply because the finance department might be having a look at something.”
Curiously, however, keen eyes have spotted a recent deletion from the Liberal Party website: a transcript from 2012 of the then-Opposition Leader Tony Abbott urging for former Speaker Peter Slipper to step down from his position, following an alleged text messaging and sexual assault scandal.
Check this out. RT @HogesyHoges: I wonder what was here that was deleted overnight? http://t.co/tmWknslZAi
Found it: https://t.co/3SdBEb8OoK
— Peter van Onselen (@vanOnselenP) July 18, 2015
In the transcript, now deleted from the LNP website, Tony Abbott said, “The Prime Minister, to uphold the integrity of the Parliament, needs now to require the Speaker to step down until these matters are resolved.” The ABC have prepared a timeline on the scandals surrounding each Speaker here.
Meanwhile.
Bronwyn Bishop has agreed to take the bus next time pic.twitter.com/DO8vXgaMky
— James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) July 17, 2015
