PETER Slipper's defection to the cross benches, giving Julia Gillard greater power in a minority government, will go down as one of the biggest acts of political betrayal in Australia's history
Sunshine Coast LNP supporters did not elect Peter Slipper at the last poll - they voted for the LNP.
And they have every right to be furious that Mr Slipper, after a lifetime of supporting the conservative side of politics, jumped ship - for a $75,000 pay rise and the "prestige" of being elected Speaker to the national parliament.
The thought of our lazy, self-serving MP moving into one of the biggest offices in Canberra, with all the perks attached to it, is enough to make any Coast resident's skin crawl.
The fact that Julia Gillard, in her grab for power, could accept someone of Mr Slipper's reputation, given the travel expense scandal that has plagued him for years, reflects poorly on her political and personal integrity.
