Opposition demands Speaker's independence

Labor wants Speaker Bronwyn Bishop to stop attending coalition party room meetings to preserve the impartiality of the office.

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke will introduce a motion to the lower house on Wednesday on the importance of the Speaker's independence.

The motion, obtained by AAP, points to previous statements by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and other senior ministers on the importance of the Speaker's impartiality.

It urges the Speaker to interpret standing orders correctly and consistently and to refrain from attending party room meetings.

It is understood past Speakers Anna Burke and Harry Jenkins did not attend Labor caucus meetings.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Burke accused Ms Bishop of presiding over question times that were beginning to look like a protection racket to save Mr Abbott from tough questions.

Ministers have to be accountable through the parliament to the Australian people, he said.

"The smirks, the jibes, the different ways that the parliament has descended, I don't believe reflect well on this parliament or this government."

Asked to explain his "smirks and jibes" reference, Mr Burke refused to be more specific.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne said Labor's treatment of the Speaker was approaching bullying.

Even during the most heated debates under the previous Labor governments, he never spoke to Speakers in the way Labor MPs spoke to Ms Bishop, he said.