Gillard refuses to back former speaker

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has refused to back Labor's Harry Jenkins for the role of speaker in the new parliament.

Instead she said independent MP Rob Oakeshott had the skills and attributes to do the job.

Mr Jenkins has been speaker of the House of Representatives since 2008, following Labor's election win in 2007.

He is widely respected by both sides of politics and was seen as the frontrunner for the job until Mr Oakeshott on Wednesday said he was interested in taking control of the lower house in the first hung parliament in 70 years.

When asked whether the government was backing Mr Jenkins as speaker, Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra: "We're taking this a step at a time."

- AAP