Australian Politics Forum

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop was defeated by Bangladesh's Saber Chowdhury. Photo: Dylan Robinson

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop has lost her bid for the presidency of an international democracy group, with a string of recent political scandals contributing to the defeat.
The Speaker was in the running to lead the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an organisation of parliaments that promotes democracy.

Ms Bishop came second to Bangladesh's Saber Chowdhury in the second and final round of voting at the IPU's assembly in Geneva. There were also candidates from Indonesia and the Maldives – meaning Australia was competing against a trio of Muslim states.
Recent domestic political controversies may have cost Speaker Bronwyn Bishop crucial votes in her bid to go global.

Recent domestic political controversies may have cost Speaker Bronwyn Bishop crucial votes in her bid to go global. Photo: Andrew Taylor

Fairfax Media understands the controversial Parliament House burqa announcements, Prime Minister Tony Abbott's threat to "shirt-front" Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even Australia's controversial new national security laws could have cost Ms Bishop votes.

After the announcement visitors who wore facial coverings would have to watch Parliament House proceedings from inside a glass box, a source close to the IPU told Fairfax Media they "couldn't believe that Bronwyn Bishop would associate herself with this idea of segregating women because of what they are wearing".

The source said IPU Muslim member nations would be offended by the ban.

An absolute majority was needed to secure the IPU presidency, with the 145 different delegations holding two to five votes each. Australia had five: the Coalition's Nola Marino and Senator Cory Bernardi, Ms Bishop herself and Labor's Tony Zappia and Senator Glenn Sterle.

It was reported on Thursday that the Labor members would not support Ms Bishop but Mr Sterle told Fairfax Media this was not the case.

"It gave me heartburn but I did vote for her. I lost sleep over it but at the end of the day I'm an Aussie," Mr Sterle said. "I couldn't come over here and not vote for an Aussie."

Labor MPs Joel Fitzgibbon and Michael Danby, as well as former Labor Senate president John Hogg, were actively supporting Ms Bishop's campaign.

With no candidate achieving the necessary majority in the first round of voting, the candidate from the Maldives was eliminated and the rest went on to a second round.

In the second round secret ballot, Mr Chowdhury received 169 votes, while Ms Bishop and Indonesia's Nurhayati Ali Assegaf received 95 and 57 votes respectively.

Prior to the vote, a spokeswoman for the IPU told Fairfax Media that multiple voting rounds were the "likeliest scenario" due to the high number of candidates.

The 53-year-old Mr Chowdhury will take over from Morocco's Abdelwahad Radi. Mr Chowdhury is a veteran politician who was once imprisoned for his views and recognised by Amnesty International as a "prisoner of conscience".

"Politics and public service is about helping people to solve their problems, to live their dreams," Mr Chowdhury said. "My belief is to always improve upon what you find and leave a better, more peaceful world."

He will serve a three-year term at the helm of the IPU.

A spokesman for Ms Bishop declined to comment.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/bronwyn-bishop-loses-bid-for-international-position-20141017-117db0.html#ixzz3GLWnjbOP

More article on Bishop

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-17/bishop-loses-push-for-presidency-of-inter-parliamentary-union/5820540

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-bronwyn-bishop-standoff-on-burqa-ban-20141003-10pvnp.html

"Ms Bishop came second to Bangladesh's Saber Chowdhury"

Classic!!!!!!!!!

Well a drovers dog would have to have been better than Bishop.

Have you ever listened to "Question Time". She wins hands down as the worst Speaker in the history of Federal Parliament.

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

Labor MPs were able to put political rivalry aside and get behind Bishops' campaign but you idiots can't do the same. Just shows how biased and plain stupid you lot are. Your problem, not mine.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 11:34am:

Labor MPs were able to put political rivalry aside and get behind Bishops' campaign but you idiots can't do the same. Just shows how biased and plain stupid you lot are. Your problem, not mine.

Keep going.

greggerypeccary wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 11:35am:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 11:34am:

Labor MPs were able to put political rivalry aside and get behind Bishops' campaign but you idiots can't do the same. Just shows how biased and plain stupid you lot are. Your problem, not mine.

Keep going.

I would but unlike you my lunch break is over and I must get back to work. You know, a job instead of the dole.

As a Labor voter, I was actually disappointed that Bronwyn didnt get this job. She is such a terrible Speaker, that to get her any job would be an improvement.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 11:40am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 11:35am:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 11:34am:

Labor MPs were able to put political rivalry aside and get behind Bishops' campaign but you idiots can't do the same. Just shows how biased and plain stupid you lot are. Your problem, not mine.

Keep going.

I would but unlike you my lunch break is over ....

Over? It hasn't started.

I don't usually have lunch at 9:45am.

First John Howard misses out on the world cricket job and now BB misses out, who will be the next coalition member not good enough for a world position?. It appears that they are not held in as high regard around the world as they are by supporters in Aus. I wonder why.

Genuine Leather wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 6:03pm:

When you pay some someone to be in a job, you expect they be worth being in that job!

She misses out on that count at both home and away.

Genuine Leather wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 6:36pm:

She misses out on that count at both home and away.

[smiley=laugh.gif] Good One!

I appreciate the complement from a 2827 to a 15 :).

Redmond Neck wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 8:57am:

Well a drovers dog would have to have been better than Bishop.

Have you ever listened to "Question Time". She wins hands down as the worst Speaker in the history of Federal Parliament.

She could win many other awards too, such as...

Most Irritating Voice Award
front bottoms of the year Award
Extreme Bias Award

The list goes on... imagine if she was your mother. You'd wish you had been aborted.. though, one must wonder how she would get knocked up in the first place? If I had a pecker I'd cut it off after going near that. :D :D

Damn you OzPol thought police.

Replace "nice person" with whatever derogatory word you fancy.

Freedumb wrote on Oct 18^th, 2014 at 1:38am:

Redmond Neck wrote on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 8:57am:

Well a drovers dog would have to have been better than Bishop.

Have you ever listened to "Question Time". She wins hands down as the worst Speaker in the history of Federal Parliament.

She could win many other awards too, such as...

Most Irritating Voice Award
nice people of the year Award
Extreme Bias Award

The list goes on... imagine if she was your mother. You'd wish you had been aborted.. though, one must wonder how she would get knocked up in the first place? If I had a pecker I'd cut it off after going near that. :D :D

So you'd only cut it off AFTER the fact instead of avoiding her? Gawd, you're stupid, lady!

Australian Politics Forum
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl General Discussion >> Federal Politics >> Bishop misses out http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1413495749 Message started by John S on Oct 17^th, 2014 at 7:42am