Mamamia News Tuesday 9 October 2012 6:00am

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Julia Gillard during Question Time this afternoon

UPDATE: A tearful Peter Slipper resigned as Speaker of the Parliament following an eventful day in politics during which the opposition made a motion for him to resign.

Addressing parliament he said: “I wish to advise with great sadness, I have decided to not continue as your speaker.

“Accordingly I am having arrangements made to tender my resignation to the Governor General.”

He will not resign from Parliament.

Earlier, Mamamia reported:

It was perhaps the most extraordinarily passionate parliamentary performance of her career. Julia Gillard in parliament this afternoon was quite frankly on fire.

As part of the opposition made a motion for speaker Peter Slipper to be sacked, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the Gillard government  is a government that detects sexism everywhere, except when it is exhibited by one of their supporters. And that this government should have died of shame.

The exact quote:

“Another day of shame for a government that should already have died of shame.” – Tony Abbott

Using the most loaded phrase in public discourse of the past two weeks – the one so controversially and repugnantly used by Alan Jones in referring to the death of Gillard’s father -  is a gob-smacking choice of words.

And it provoked the most fiery performance we have ever seen from the Prime Minister on the subject of sexism in the parliament and by Tony Abbott in particular. With her voice shaking with emotion and anger, here is some of what she said:

The government isn’t dying of shame.

My father did not die of shame.

What the Leader of the Opposition should be ashamed of is his performance in this parliament and the sexism he brings with it.

Tony Abbott during Question Time this afternoon

Sexism should always unacceptable. We should conduct ourselves as if it is always unacceptable. He could change a standard himself if he sought to do so. He’s capable of double standards, but incapable of change.

I was offended when the Leader of the Opposition went outside and stood next to a sign that said ditch the witch.

Misogyny. Sexism, every day. That is all we have heard from him.

Has the Opposition leader taken any responsibility for the conduct of members of his political party? When the most vile things were being said about members of my family. He’s very light on accepting responsibility for the vile conduct of members of his political party.

I will not be lectured on misogyny by this man.

Not now.

Not ever.

Words from Prime Minister Julia Gillard during a powerful performance today during question time at Parliament House in response to the Opposition’s handling of the Peter Slipper story.

And here’s the video:

And here are some of the other news stories you may have missed today……

It was the most talked about moment of this year's Golden Globes: Jodie Foster's acceptance speech where she spoke publicly about her sexual orientation. But not everyone in the gay community is congratulating Jodie, with her speech drawing criticism for not explicitly the words "gay" or "lesbian". Fred Sainz of the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights group has said "everyone watching clearly understood that she was communicating to people that she is gay. She is to be congratulated, no matter how awkward or inarticulate it may have seemed to some. It took an awful lot of courage."

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