Rann resigns

[Gozu]

How many Housing SA homes have been sold off and not replaced under Mike Rann's tenure as Premier? 20 000 perhaps?

Very good point. That, the Glenside sell off and the attempted Parks sell off is what I'll remember most about the Mike Rann era.

[Gozu]

All the focus has been on Rann and an enforced transition to Weatherill. But Jay is on a hiding to nothing here and no one has begun to consider that. He may be the man of the moment so to speak, but there isn't a lot of personal upside in this for him other than the title and the mantle. Thr Right wont pledge their support forever and really, the Ágreement'for Jay to take over is just one thing - we are yet to hear (if indeed we ever do) about what other aspects of this Ágreement' there may be.....

That's why I'm not too over the moon about all this. Weatherill will in effect be a puppet of the Right much like Gillard is at the moment federally.

Overturning the Arkaroola decision?

The Arkaroola bombshell, with Rann flanked in situ for cover with his Environment Minister, Paul Caica and Mines Minister, Tom Koutsantonis, did not go down well with Labor party warloads who had seen approving mining Arkaroola as yet another opportunity to reward party loyalists. (No doubt investors, including Schacht and Williams, who parted with the $5m five months ago aren’t exactly seeing the funny side of this either.) With that act of self determination complete, so the talks to arrange the factionally suitable succession team went into overdrive. With Weatherill clearly ahead in the perceptions of the public, the next dream team was settled across factional lines.

http://www.kryztoff.com/RAW/?p=3691

[mick]

How many Housing SA homes have been sold off and not replaced under Mike Rann's tenure as Premier? 20 000 perhaps?

Very good point. That, the Glenside sell off and the attempted Parks sell off is what I'll remember most about the Mike Rann era.

A perception that the Rann government was continually trying to pull the wool over the public's eyes, the lack of transperancy, the "announce and defend" methodology on introducing new projects (RAH for example). This is what I'll remember and I won't be sorry to see him go ...suprise suprise

[The Sleeping Giant]

What I'll remember about Rann is his 2 visits to the Taj.

[Psyber]

The moves to oust Mike Rann began before the last election, but it was too close to the election then, so the plan was to replace him after a few months, win or lose.
Then there was the delay over who was going to get the nod to step up - my ALP contacts were inclined to back Jay Weatherall because he was the highest rated by the public.
However, they were a bit concerned about how his "left" image would go over with swinging voters.

Eventually it happened, and Mike said something like "Go? yeah .. OK .. when it suits me.."
He is now effectively sabotaging Jay Weatherall and the ALP by making them look incompetent at even traditional leader replacement technique.

[Bat Pad]

The Rann government was quite good for most of it's time in office.

But the last couple of years have been very poor. Rann and Foley had to go a couple of years back.

The fact that they have required the SBC is testament to that, just awful.

[Squawk]

The way things are looking another SBC might have to be done yet.

Hopefully Jay offers a few things:

1. He stops the game of governing Politics and starts governing Policy
2. He puts the 'service' back into the public service, (in these tough times). eg, renews focus on disadvantaged groups by boosting efforts around homelessness/Housing Trust;

However, I cant see he can do much with the budget in a perilous state and so many forward spending commitments associated with rail lines, tram extensions, a new hospital and wage blowouts in some areas of the public sector. Add to that the dwindling Cwlth funding and it's all downhill. Even if he wants money, how is he going to stare down a Treasurer who rolled the current premier and installed him? A Treasurer with his own ambitions, and his own faction?

Jay is on a hiding to nothing with the Polls as well. If they remain static or decline further, it wouldn't surprise me if another leadership change occurred half way between now and the March 2014 election (installing Rau). If the Polls sail high, then the Right might decide that is also a perfect time to install their man, Rau. I'd give Weatherill a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 4 years, before he is replaced himself.

[redden whites]

The moves to oust Mike Rann began before the last election, but it was too close to the election then

Makes Tony Abbotts failure to get into power look even more dismal doesn't it?
What was that timeframe for Gillard ? less than 10 weeks,I can't actually remember?
Turnbull would have bolted it in.........poor Tony will he ever get over it I wonder?

[Bat Pad]

The moves to oust Mike Rann began before the last election, but it was too close to the election then

Makes Tony Abbotts failure to get into power look even more dismal doesn't it?
What was that timeframe for Gillard ? less than 10 weeks,I can't actually remember?
Turnbull would have bolted it in.........poor Tony will he ever get over it I wonder?

[southee]

Once again a Labor government with a non elected leader by the people.

They seem to be good at doing this.

[redandblack]

southee, this is where a knowledge of political history helps

Perhaps they learnt from John Olsen taking over as Premier from Dean Brown without an election

Federally, I'll have a think, but first thoughts are that Harold Holt and Billy MacMahon became Prime Ministers without facing an election?

I'll check, but you're being very selective

PS: I've checked, I'm correct.

[Sojourner]

Maybe Mike Rann and Dean Brown can look forward to working together at the SAFC?

[tigerpie]

The desalination plant isn't completed yet ... you do know it's a fixed price contract?

So interested to know how it's going to be a white elephant?

The concern is the schedule, not the cost.

Did not need it in the first place......a total knee jerk reaction with stupid spending money by the Rann governemt once again.

Low and behold now we dont have water restrictions while the Murray suffers without any funding ......

very very narrow minded post southee. although i'm not happy about the price increase in water it has to be done mate..certainly hope my grandchildren will look back on the desal plant as a brilliant piece of forward thinking,and so, i would think would the fruit growers in this state.

[Psyber]

Best this state has had scince the Don sad to se him go but time is up Mike great job! LIBS got no hope with Redman!!!

A history of Labor in SA:

1. Donny D, was the man who stood up and said it was OK for the state government to spend the state superannuation funds because, "We are the government and will put the funds back when necessary!" [I saw and heard that statement on TV at the time.]

2. John Bannon, was the guy who did the same and couldn't put it back.

3. Mike Rann has done it again...

PS: Donny also exempted the SA Housing Trust from the new Land and Tenancies Act he introduced, on the grounds that the SAHT was a government agency and would therefore "always treat the tenants better than the Act required". My question was, "Why then is there any need to exempt them?"

[Psyber]

The desalination plant isn't completed yet ... you do know it's a fixed price contract?
So interested to know how it's going to be a white elephant?
The concern is the schedule, not the cost.

Did not need it in the first place......a total knee jerk reaction with stupid spending money by the Rann governemt once again.
Low and behold now we dont have water restrictions while the Murray suffers without any funding ......

Sadly, I think you are wrong there southee, at least in the long run.

I was opposed to the desalination plant project, and also thought it may be unnecessary, and was concerned about its placement.
Since talking to Professor Mike Young at the Environment Institute at the Uni of Adelaide I can see the point.
Mike's case is that for 10 megalitres of water to reach the lower Murray 100 ML need to be released at the top, due to natural attrition.
Australia is too short of water to do that.

So, I think we do need desalination in SA, but this plan iis half-baked.
I'd have liked a bigger plant, coupled with nuclear power, further south not in the gulf.
This one is insufficient, and powered very expensively, and will have to be duplicated in time, especially if our population grows.
It may have been best if SA had conceded the Murray flow issue and requested federal compensation in the form of financial support for an adequate desalination plant.

[redandblack]

Psyber, although we agree that John Bannon failed to properly act on the State Bank disaster, people seem tio have forgotten that the cause of it was failure of the administration of the bank directors and Mr Marcus-Clarke (?), among them many bastions of the Adelaide establishment of the time.

[ORDoubleBlues]

Was very annoyed with his references to 9 and a half years and 9 and a half years ago.
While there were problems that far back, dont think there's much doubt that a lot of those problems are much worse now plus we've sold most of the state (Libs did too) to supposedly try to improve things - not bloody likely!

[Psyber]

Psyber, although we agree that John Bannon failed to properly act on the State Bank disaster, people seem tio have forgotten that the cause of it was failure of the administration of the bank directors and Mr Marcus-Clarke (?), among them many bastions of the Adelaide establishment of the time.

I didn't mention the State Bank.
I was talking about the simultaneous hole in the state superannuation fund that was about the same size.
[And which forced the sell off of our utilities to get rid of the unfunded superannuation liabilities..]

However, as you have raised it, it is worth noting that the State Banks in both SA and Victoria suffered the same fate.
They did appear to have been encouraged to "promote growth" in risky ways by ALP state governments that had excessive faith in Paul Keating's "J-curve" recovery that was allegedly imminent.

Certainly, the State Bank in SA was encouraging its customers to borrow for developments during 1987 when the independent banks were tightening up on loans and urging caution.
That suggests external influence was a factor..
[I'd started selling up and clearing debts in early/mid-1987, because the writing was on the wall.]

[gossipgirl]

Once again a Labor government with a non elected leader by the people.

They seem to be good at doing this.

not sure what country you are talking about but I have been voting for years and I am still to see where on a ballot sheet you get to select the leader ?

[mighty_tiger_79]

Once again a Labor government with a non elected leader by the people.

They seem to be good at doing this.

not sure what country you are talking about but I have been voting for years and I am still to see where on a ballot sheet you get to select the leader ?

im the same, i havent the option of selecting a leader, BUT why did Rann come out and say the people of this state elected me to do this job..................

perhaps Kevin Rudd shouldve said the same thing