'It's not unreasonable that Bronwyn Bishop will have someone help her drive' ... Barnaby Joyce. Credit:Andrew Meares The Speaker has cancelled a planned trip to the United States and Canada, amid the scandal, which has derailed the Government's agenda for more than two weeks. Labor is threatening to cause havoc in the Parliament when it resumes on Monday week and is demanding the Speaker resign. But Mr Joyce said he is supporting "Bronny" remaining in the Speaker's Chair because that is his role as a member of the Cabinet. "Bronwyn should remain the Speaker, if Bronny doesn't want to be the Speaker then Bronny will make that decision but I'll be supporting her because I think that's what our role is," he told Sky.

Bronwyn Bishop was forced to resign as Speaker following outcry over her $5000 chopper flight to a Liberal Party fundraiser. Credit:James Brickwood "Our role is to make sure that when people are going through a rough patch, and we all do, you get behind them and support them." He said her spending on chauffeured rides was not unreasonable although he said he prefers a taxi when travelling in Tamworth. "Bronwyn's a lady who probably, especially when things are busy, it's not unreasonable that she will have someone help her drive to whatever job she's got," he said. Mr Joyce's support for the embattled Speaker is at odds with other Cabinet Ministers including the Deputy Liberal Leader Julie Bishop who has diplomatically urged the Speaker to consider her position. Two other leadership contenders, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, and the Treasurer, Joe Hockey, have all declined to offer a similar endorsement when invited.

Mr Joyce said MPs shouldn't be throwing stones at each other on the issue of using entitlements to attend party fundraisers. "In this game you start throwing rocks and there won't be a person left in the Parliament because everyone will have some issue somewhere in the past that is difficult to explain. But, but believe you me, I don't think there was any maliciousness in how it happened." Mr Joyce offered a passionate defence of the Speaker, saying the Member for Mackellar, who turns 73 in October, has lived in the public eye for decades and was invited to appear at party fundraisers because she is a "a big hit". "Her life is politics and I genuinely believe that what she's trying to do is the best job for the Australian people," he said. "She's always been a high-profile identity, if you want a crowd anywhere, invite Bronny along, she'll get a crowd," he said.

"People invite you along most of the time because they want to chew your ear ... once you get into these events, people spend their whole time badgering you and lobbying you," he said.

"I can assure you a lot of politicians don't like the life of a politician, you do it because it's a service to your community and there are expectations of a whole range of things people expect you to do, raise money, go to events," he said. Mr Joyce said MPs had responsibilities to their voters and their party and colleagues. "If you don't raise money for them, they don't get elected," he said. Mr Joyce said the Speaker had already copped a "big hit" to her budget by having to repay up to $6000 for the helicopter ride. Politicians regularly schedule official business to coincide with party events to justify their travel claims.

However, the Speaker's case is unique because she is refusing to provide any information about what her official business entailed. The Department of Finance is investigating 10 years' worth of Mrs Bishop's expenses and Labor is demanding the findings be made public. The Labor Leader Bill Shorten called on Mr Abbott to show some leadership and end the drama. "The scandal surrounding Bronwyn Bishop has to end, it should not go one day longer," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne "The actions of Bronwyn Bishop and the inaction of Mr Abbott are now paralysing our government, and our parliament," he said.