The Federal Opposition has accused Bronwyn Bishop of "serious partiality" in her role as Speaker of the House of Representatives and sought to move a motion of no confidence in the Speaker.

The substance of the motion was debated on Thursday as Labor sought to suspend standing orders but failed on party lines.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has labelled the move a "juvenile display" and defended Mrs Bishop as having done a "very good job".

Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke moved the motion after the Speaker "named" Labor frontbencher Mark Dreyfus, leading to him being thrown out of the chamber for 24 hours.

To be "named" by the Speaker for disorderly behaviour is one of the most serious actions that can be taken against an MP.

Mr Burke argued that the punishment was not warranted.

"He didn't just get warned, he didn't just get thrown out - he got named - for calling you 'Madam Speaker'," Mr Burke said.

"Yesterday we had a member of Parliament thrown out for laughing.

"Madam Speaker we have spent months watching you laugh at every joke from the ministers at the expense of members of the Opposition."

Sorry, this video has expired Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus leaves the House of Representatives after Speaker Bronwyn Bishop ejected him. (AAP: Alan Porritt)

Labor said Mr Dreyfus is the 98th Labor MP thrown out of the House by Mrs Bishop in the nine weeks of parliamentary sittings since the Coalition won office.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne said Mrs Bishop had the confidence of the House and "as long as the Speaker wants to serve in that role we will support her in the Government from this side of the House".

He accused Labor MPs of having a "deliberate" strategy targeting the Speaker "by being rude, by being aggressive, by behaving quite intolerably badly towards a woman in the chair".

Mr Pyne said it was the reality for oppositions that "you do get thrown out of Parliament more often than members of the Government".

"I hold the record for being ejected from this place by speakers in the Parliament," Mr Pyne told the House.

"I never complained. I never complained. I didn't stand up like a great big sook like the Manager of Opposition Business did today."

Abbott defends Bishop's 'touch of humour'

The Prime Minister, who handpicked Mrs Bishop for the role, said she has brought "style and a touch of humour to the sometimes dour proceedings of our Parliament".

He said Labor had lost its sense of humour when it lost the election.

"I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of tough treatment by the Speaker and as a member of Parliament you've just got to accept it because the only way for Parliament to function is for the Speaker's rulings to be accepted," he said.

Labor has been critical of Mrs Bishop in her role as Speaker since she was given the job by the Prime Minister Tony Abbott last year.

On the first sitting day of the new Parliament Mrs Bishop ruled that it was acceptable to call the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten by the term "Electricity Bill", sparking the first of several motions of dissent in the chair from Labor.

Labor has also complained that Mrs Bishop continues to attend Liberal party room meetings.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 5 minutes 25 seconds 5 m Labor tries rare motion of no confidence in Speaker Bronwyn Bishop ( Louise Yaxley ) Download 2.5 MB

Former Independent MP Tony Windsor said Mrs Bishop has always been a political player.

"She enjoys the game," he said.

"She doesn't want to be the umpire - she wants to be a participant."

Dr Paul Williams, a senior politics lecturer at Griffith University, said Mrs Bishop has undoubtedly been a "robust Speaker".

"She's no shrinking violet and that was clearly made by the Manager of Opposition Business today in the house, Tony Burke, who said everyone respects her on both sides of Parliament as a robust parliamentarian, a good parliamentarian and warrior for the Liberal Party," he said.

"It has to be said even the casual observer can see some perhaps questionable rulings and questionable behaviour on her part.

"We've seen the Speaker, for example, interject from the chair when the Opposition stands to make a point of order or perhaps is addressing the Parliament in some way. We've seen points of order dismissed without hearing them."

Serving MPs are forbidden from commenting on the performance of the Speaker and can face disciplinary action if they do so.

Yesterday was the final sitting day of Parliament before a six week break.

Parliament will resume on May 13 when the Treasurer is due to hand down the Government's first budget.