Peter Slipper has backed the federal government in his first vote as an independent MP.
Sitting on the cross benches, a day after he resigned as Speaker, Mr Slipper supported a Labor move to change the procedure for electing a second deputy speaker.
Standing orders require it be a non-government MP but with the election of National Bruce Scott as deputy speaker Labor was keen to have one of its own - Steve Georganas - elected as second deputy.
The coalition opposed the move but lost the vote 69-74.
