Newly elected Speaker Tony Smith has pledged to be an impartial and fair umpire in his first address to parliament from the chair.

Mr Smith told members that he wanted to preside over a fairer and more civil parliament following the high-profile resignation of Bronwyn Bishop last week due to the expenses saga.

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“There is no greater honour in parliament than being elected by one’s peers,” he said.

“I look forward to doing what is an important and difficult job.”

Mr Smith was elected with the overwhelming support of his Liberal colleagues on Monday morning.

Fellow Victorian MP Russell Broadbent, South Australian Andrew Southcott and Queenslander Ross Vasta also put their hand up for the Speaker’s role.

The vote came down to Mr Smith and Mr Southcott, with the 48-year-old MP winning the party room ballot, 51 votes to 22.

Mr Smith confirmed he wouldn’t attend regular Liberal party room meetings while Speaker, unlike his predecessor.

“It’s my view that the Speaker should not only be, but also should be seen to be, independent of the partisan day-to-day fray,” he added.

Labor responded positively to Mr Smith’s decision.

“We welcome the Speakers commitments not to attend party room meetings,” Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott also congratulated Mr Smith, expressing confidence in the new Speaker.

“I am confident, based on our friendship and comradeship going back some quarter of a century, that this [a good job] is exactly what you will do,” he said.

Labor did not nominate its own candidate and did not oppose Mr Smith’s nomination for the role.

Who is Tony Smith?

Mr Smith was born in Melbourne and attended Carey Baptist Grammar School, before becoming President of the Melbourne University Liberal Club while continuing his studies.

After completing his education, he worked as a research assistant at the Institute for Public Affairs before becoming a senior political advisor to Peter Costello while Treasurer.

Mr Smith was elected as the federal member for Melbourne electorate, Casey, in 2001, and has been a member of a number of House of Representatives committees since.

In 2007, he was appointed as the parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister in the John Howard Government and two years later, Mr Smith was named as the Shadow Minister for Communications by Tony Abbott.

Then, in 2010, he was moved to the role of Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for tax reform and deputy chairman of the coalition policy development committee.