Australian speaker weakens gov't grip by quitting

Prime Minister Julia Gillard's center-left Labor Party government recruited Peter Slipper from opposition ranks to the speaker's post last November in a move that effectively gave her administration a two-seat majority on most votes in the House of Representatives.

Her minority government is trailing the conservative opposition in opinion polls and could be forced to hold early elections if it loses a no-confidence motion in the 150-seat chamber.

Because a speaker can only vote to break a tie, Slipper's appointment freed up the vote of his predecessor, Harry Jenkin, for Labor.

Since then, independent lawmaker Andrew Wilkie withdrew his support for the government because Gillard broke a promise to enact legislation to protect gambling addicts from slot machines.

Slipper resigned hours after surviving an unprecedented opposition motion to remove him Tuesday by one vote.