Editing Harry Jenkins (section)

==Politics==
Jenkins was president of the ALP's [[Bundoora, Victoria|Bundoora]] branch in the 1980s.<ref name=bio/> In 1985, his father resigned as Speaker to take up as an appointment as ambassador to Spain. Aged 33, Jenkins won ALP [[preselection]] for the resulting [[1986 Scullin by-election]] ahead of former [[Division of Casey|Casey]] MP [[Peter Steedman]] and future state government minister [[Theo Theophanous]].<ref name=bio/> He was described by the ''[[Canberra Times]]'' as "chosen as a compromise candidate by the old and new guards of Victoria's [[Labor Left|Socialist Left]] faction".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122419770|title=Opposition query on Jenkins's job|newspaper=Canberra Times|date=8 January 1986}}</ref>

Jenkins was Deputy Speaker 1993–1996 and Second Deputy Speaker from 1996 to his election as Speaker in 2008. He was the Opposition candidate for Speaker after the 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004 elections.<ref name=":0">{{cite Au Parliament|mpid=HH4|name=Mr Harry Jenkins MP|access-date=2022-08-04}}</ref>

===42nd Parliament===
He was elected by Labor caucus on 29 November 2007 to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 42nd Parliament.  This was carried by a formal vote on 12 February 2008.  He succeeded Liberal incumbent [[David Hawker]].  Although Speakers normally carry the courtesy title while in office 'the Honourable', Jenkins said his personal preference was that it not be used.

He is the first speaker whose parent also held the post.

===43rd Parliament===
The Labor Party renominated Jenkins as Speaker in the 43rd Parliament, and he was elected unopposed when the Parliament opened on 28 September 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/harry-jenkins-set-for-speakers-role/story-e6freuzr-1225927540352 |title=Harry Jenkins Set For Speaker's Role |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=22 September 2010 |access-date=24 November 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-24/australia-s-gillard-nominates-speaker-amid-risk-of-parliamentary-deadlock.html |title=Australia's Gillard Nominates Speaker Amid Risk of Parliamentary Deadlock |date=24 September 2011 |author=Rae, Marian |work=Bloomberg |access-date=24 November 2011 |location=New York City}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/harry-jenkins-elected-speaker-20100928-15uuh.html |title=Harry Jenkins elected Speaker |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=28 September 2010 |access-date=24 November 2011 |agency=AAP }}</ref>

On 31 May 2011, after a contentious debate on [[carbon pricing]] in which Jenkins declared a "general warning" for all members, Liberal MP [[Bob Baldwin (politician)|Bob Baldwin]] interjected and was [[Naming (parliamentary procedure)|named]] by Jenkins. Baldwin was supported by the Coalition and by [[independent (politics)|independent]] member [[Rob Oakeshott]] and [[National Party of Western Australia|West Australian National]] member [[Tony Crook (politician)|Tony Crook]]. The resulting vote on suspending Baldwin for 24 hours failed 71–72. Convention would normally have required Jenkins to resign as Speaker, but the House of Representatives immediately thereafter approved a motion of confidence in the Speaker and he remained in the position.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/people-in-politics/oakeshott-nearly-brings-down-the-house/story-fn6aq95y-1226066808233 |title=Oakeshott nearly brings down the house |work=The Australian |author1=Shannahan, Dennis |date=1 June 2011 |access-date=24 November 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr310511.pdf |title=Commonwealth of Australia – House of Representatives |work=Hansard|date=31 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602064750/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr310511.pdf |archive-date=2 June 2011}}</ref>

He resigned as the Speaker of the House of Representatives on 24 November 2011, stating, "My desire is to be able to participate in policy and parliamentary debate, and this would be incompatible with continuing in the role of Speaker."<ref name="ABC2011-11-24"/><ref name="SMH2011-11-24"/><ref name="Aust2011-11-24"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/25/world/asia/labor-party-fortifies-edge-in-australia.html?_r=1 |title=Labor Party Fortifies Edge in Australia |work=The New York Times |date=24 November 2011 |author=Siegel, Matt |access-date=25 November 2011}}</ref>

Jenkins retired from politics at the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 election]].<ref name=":0" />