Former clerk of the Senate Harry Evans says Mr Slipper should just get on with the job"You can't recreate a tradition once it's dead, and I think it was well and truly dead in Australia and has been well and truly dead for a number of years," he said.

"Speaker (Billy) Snedden attempted to do this some years ago as well as wearing wig and gown, which non-Labor speakers had worn in the past.

"He tried to have a Speaker's procession but it was mocked and ridiculed and I think even he gave it up - it was certainly well and truly given up when he left anyway.

"You can't get respect by dressing up in fancy dress and having processions I'm afraid - it has to be earned in other ways, like really being impartial, which Australian speakers have notoriously not been in the past."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-08/former-senate-clerk-slams-slippers-ceremonial-changes/3819000?WT.svl=news0