Lawmakers stand by Australia government over sex scandal

Canberra Key independent lawmakers said Monday they will stand by Australia's embattled government after the parliamentary speaker temporarily stepped aside over allegations of sexual harassment and fraud.

The opposition has called on independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott to bring down the minority government with a no-confidence vote in response to the scandal enveloping the government's choice of House of Representatives speaker, Peter Slipper.

Slipper stepped aside on Sunday while police investigate allegations levelled by a former staffer last week that Slipper misused taxi payment vouchers while travelling by limousine in Sydney on three occasions this year.

The same staffer, James Ashby, 33, is also suing Slipper in the Federal Court for sexual harassment, alleging that Slipper only employed him as a media adviser in pursuit of sex. Slipper, 62, who is married with two adult children from a previous relationship, denies all the allegations.

‘Darkest days'

Oakeshott described the scandal as the "darkest days" of the Parliament since it was elected in 2010. But he said it did not affect his pledge to support Prime Minister Julia Gillard's minority Labour Party government.

Windsor said his agreement with Gillard to support her government had not been breached.

"If there's corrupt activity [within government] or maladministration, let's see it," Windsor said.

The Greens party, which supplies a third lawmaker to support the government, issued a statement maintaining support and warning against Parliament acting like a court.

The opposition needs at least two of these three lawmakers to defect to bring down the government with a vote of no confidence when Parliament next sits on May 8. Such a motion would need at least 76 votes in the 150-seat House of Representatives.

Gillard Monday defended her choice of Slipper. "I don't claim to know Mr Slipper personally or well, but I formed a professional judgement about his ability to do the job," she said.