Ken Smith will remain Speaker when Victoria's Parliament resumes, but his future is unknown. Source: AAP
EMBATTLED Speaker Ken Smith will be in the chair when the Victorian parliament resumes on Tuesday, but it remains to be seen what will happen beyond then.
Mr Smith has been under pressure since falling out of favour with rebel MP Geoff Shaw and last month he announced he will retire at the November 29 state election.
Mr Smith says he will continue in the role when parliament resumes on Tuesday after the summer break, but he has not shed any light on whether he will remain in the chair for the rest of the year.
Premier Denis Napthine has been silent on the issue.
"I'll be in the chair at 2pm next Tuesday afternoon at Parliament House," Mr Smith told AAP on Thursday.
But when asked if he would be in the chair after that, Mr Smith replied: "That remains to be spoken about on Tuesday".
Mr Smith has slammed the behaviour of balance-of-power MP Geoff Shaw, who announced to the parliament in November that he no longer had confidence in the Speaker.
The decision meant the Speaker no longer enjoyed majority support in the house.
It sparked chaotic scenes in the parliament, with the Labor opposition seizing on Mr Shaw's announcement and continually trying to force a vote of no confidence in Mr Smith.
The development caused Mr Smith to suspend parliament and stalled the passing of legislation.
When parliament resumed, Mr Smith suspended two Labor MPs for the remainder of the year for poor behaviour.
Mr Smith says he expects neither Mr Shaw nor Labor will change their behaviour in 2014.
But Labor Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews says Mr Smith should quit because he no longer enjoys majority support.
Labor is prepared to back deputy speaker, Liberal Christine Fyffe, for the job, arguing she would be able to command a majority on the floor of the lower house.
Premier Denis Napthine has said whether Mr Smith remains Speaker is a decision for him.
"I support him as Speaker," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"We'll be looking at those issues and those issues will be decided in the future."
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