Peter Slipper
Peter Neil Slipper (born 14 February 1950) is a former independent member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Fisher, Queensland, a seat he held from 1993 until his defeat in 2013. He previously represented the same division for the Nationals from 1984 to 1987. Slipper was affiliated with the Liberal Party's Queensland division from 1993 until its merger with the Nationals' Queensland division to form the Liberal National Party of Queensland in 2008, continuing to sit in the federal Liberal Party room until he became an independent upon his election as Speaker in 2011. Slipper served as the 27th Speaker of the House of Representatives from 24 November 2011 to 9 October 2012, after serving as Deputy Speaker following the 2010 election. Previously, he had served as a Parliamentary Secretary, Whip and Committee Chairman in the Howard government. In April 2012, he stepped aside as Speaker while charges of fraud and sexual harassment were investigated. On 9 October 2012, a motion of no confidence in Slipper as Speaker of the House was narrowly defeated. He resigned as Speaker several hours later. In December 2012, Slipper successfully argued that sexual abuse charges levelled at him were vexatious, and the case was dismissed. However this decision was successfully appealed before the full bench of the Federal Court, so the case appeared in 2014. In January 2013, Slipper was summonsed to appear before court facing charges of dishonesty relating to alleged use of Cabcharge vouchers during 2010. On 28 July 2014, Slipper was found guilty of dishonestly using taxpayer funds to visit Canberra wineries for his own enjoyment. On 24 September 2014, he was sentenced to 300 hours community service and ordered to reimburse taxpayers for the $954 total that was spent on the trips. Slipper is appealing the sentence. On 11 May 2013, Slipper joined the recently formed United Australia Party (now the Palmer United Party). However, his membership ceased within seven hours of him joining the party.