As I see it, the Speaker's job is exactly like that of the Chairman of a Board. That is, he is there to keep discussion on the subject, to silence distractions, to keep order. In my experience, the difference between a good chairman and a weak one is spectacular. With a weak chairman, the meetings run riot, go off the subject and usually degenerate in to an indecisive rabble. Meetings simply become soap boxes for the noisest members, who usually have the least to offer.
With a strong chairman, irrelevant speeches are stopped in their tracks, and the meetings achieve their aims.
I don't know what Slipper is guilty of, but it seems he does not have the respect of anybody. As a result he simply will not be able to control the parliament, and the result will be as outlined above.
