SA: SA speaker survives no confidence motion

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SA: SA speaker survives no confidence motion

By Sam Lienert

ADELAIDE, Aug 14 AAP - South Australian parliamentary speaker Peter Lewis today surviveda no-confidence motion moved by the state opposition.

The motion, which needed the support of three independents and at least one Labor governmentMP to succeed, failed when independent and deputy speaker Bob Such sided with the governmentto vote it down.

The move came after Mr Lewis expelled opposition leader Rob Kerin from parliament yesterdayover comments he made about the speaker on talkback radio.

Mr Kerin today said Mr Lewis had damaged his ability to remain impartial by repeatedlyinvolving himself in political debate.

"Your actions, sir, in recent months have only served to destroy what respect you mayhave garnered when you first took office promising greater accountability and fairness,"

Mr Kerin said in parliament today.

"We have now reached a situation where this great institution is increasingly seenas a farce in the eyes of the public."

Earlier today, SA Premier Mike Rann said Mr Kerin and his Liberal colleagues should"stop playing the man rather than the ball".

"My advice to Rob Kerin is to play the ball not the man," Mr Rann said.

"It's time to put an end to this nonsense and get on with the job that people haveentrusted all members of parliament to do which is to tackle serious issues.

"There are big issues affecting our hospitals, our education, our environment but theLiberals appear obsessed with Peter Lewis."

Mr Rann said Labor members were kicked out of parliament quite often when the ALP wasin opposition but when the speaker was offered an apology they were generally let backin.

"That didn't happen yesterday," he said.

Mr Lewis, a former Liberal MP, helped Labor form a minority government in Februarywhen he controversially reversed a pre-election pledge to support the Liberal Party.

AAP scl/mg/sb

KEYWORD: LEWIS NIGHTLEAD