The South Australian Political Landscape

[bennymacca]

going to be an interesting state election. Weatherill needs to overcome what is happening in the education department, because it is a very bad look for him at the moment.

conversely, the state libs still dont really seem to be able to gain any traction - at least steven marshall is a little more visible than redmond, though you still hardly see him.

i can see libs winning on the back of the swing in the federal election, but i have yet to see or hear anything from the libs.

[Sky Pilot]

Marshall and his team probably don't have to do much. Just stay out of trouble and let the Labor brand self destruct.

[dedja]

The SA Branch of the ALP are very different to the muppets in Canberra.

The Libs will need to be on the front foot.

[Sky Pilot]

The SA Branch of the ALP are very different to the muppets in Canberra.

The Libs will need to be on the front foot.

I'll stick with what I said above. State Labor is running on the smell of an oily rag. Tick, tick

[Grahaml]

In my local seat - Heysen - the Libs have just deferred their planned fund raiser until February on the grounds that people seem to be somewhat "electioned out" at the moment. I expect the Libs generally will wait until the New Year to start any campaign.
That also fits to with last time's experience that if you trot out policies too soon the ALP will steal them or come up with parallel ones...

Things always ramp up in the last couple of months, especially with something like Christmas around the corner, but it's started. Marshall has been on TV trying to bolster his profile and make something of a case. There will also be a few policies come out. Probably a few bad news policies between now and Christmas hoping that they get lost then can deride it as "old news" down the track.

The SA Branch of the ALP are very different to the muppets in Canberra.

The Libs will need to be on the front foot.

That they may be, but the Liberals would have to kick plenty of own goals to let Labor back in the contest. Education is a very important issue every election and it's total poison for Labor. The economy is another big issue and the debt speaks too loudly. The other big ticket item in state elections is health and while it's a far better prospect, health has also been bothersome for Labor. As it is, I see Labor at best owning 1 of the 3 big issues. If they lose the battle for health it's all over and a landslide awaits.

[dedja]

The Libs have an exquisite sense of timing in pushing the self-destruct button.

40+ years of infighting doesn't disappear overnight.

If they can maintain discipline then they should prevent defeat from the jaws of victory ... time will tell.

[Grahaml]

The Libs have an exquisite sense of timing in pushing the self-destruct button.

40+ years of infighting doesn't disappear overnight.

If they can maintain discipline then they should prevent defeat from the jaws of victory ... time will tell.

It does when you start winning.

[Gozu]

The Libs have an exquisite sense of timing in pushing the self-destruct button.

40+ years of infighting doesn't disappear overnight.

If they can maintain discipline then they should prevent defeat from the jaws of victory ... time will tell.

It does when you start winning.

You must be new to South Australia.

On cue Tom Richardson's column for InDaily today:

The SA Labor Party is a curious dichotomy compared to the party nationally. Federally, Labor has been in power for only 22 years in the 64 since Chifley lost power. That’s compared to 34 years in SA in the 48 years since the last Playford administration. In modern state history, Labor has become the natural party of Government. While nationally the party doomed itself to a generation in Opposition with the DLP split, locally it was the Liberals that were rent in twain, with the Liberal Movement and its associated spats that continue to divide sections of the parliamentary party even now.

Remarkably perhaps, SA Labor never lost the desperation for power nor the organisational capacity to achieve it. What it has sometimes failed to fully appreciate is what to do with it once seized.

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2013/11/0 ... r-meaning/

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Marshall and his team probably don't have to do much. Just stay out of trouble and let the Labor brand self destruct.

The Libs are more likely to self destruct in SA than Labour. The past decade has shown this to be the case. Couple this with Liberal king Abbott making a pillock of himself on a daily basis and diminishing voter confidence in the Liberal Brand and my money is on labour for a win in the next state election.

[dedja]

Another factor that may assist Labor is the 'unwritten equilibrium' that seems to occur with respect to state and federal elections. That is, which ever party happens to be power at the federal level, voters at state level seem to vote in governments from their opponents in some seemingly conscious way to ensure that no party has total government domination across both federal and state levels.

During the Howard years the states turned into a sea of red. Whilst the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd governments were in power the states turned blue.

Whilst I can't see Labor coming back into power in NSW for a couple of hundred years, it's feasible that Labor could hold in SA and Vic could swing back their way at the next election. Maybe that will be enough to start the turn to red across the other states in the next state electoral cycle.

[dedja]

I see Kris Hanna wants to have another go, announcing he will stand for the seat of Mitchell.

What will you be this time Kris ... Labor, Greens, Independent, other?

[Gozu]

Makes me sick how right-wing Labor governments go when on the way out:

NEW SA laws applying a curfew to first-year P-plate drivers and a minimum age of 20 for a full licence have generated a huge reaction among readers.

Under the new laws passed on Thursday by State Parliament, SA drivers will not be able to get their full licence until age 20 and a curfew will apply to first-year P-platers.

But the exemptions for young drivers who need to drive at night have been expanded.

First-year P-platers going to and from work or any sports, artistic, charitable, religious or scientific commitment will be the only new drivers allowed on the roads between midnight and 5am.

The laws will prohibit first-year P-plate drivers from carrying more than one passenger aged 16-20 and will increase the minimum full-licence age from 19 to 20.

Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire successfully altered the Government's tough policy to expand the sporting exemption to also include artistic, charitable, religious or scientific activity.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/cu ... 6760129954

[Dogwatcher]

The Libs are confident that Light, seat of Cabinet member Tony Piccolo, can be taken.
They're paying a lot of attention to the electorate.

[Psyber]

Meanwhile back at the ranch: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-09-28/a ... et/2277032

The governing council of Norwood-Morialta High School in Adelaide says state budget cuts will reduce teaching time and curriculum choice for students. The SA Government is to review and reduce funding for multi-campus schools, planning to save $5.8 million over four years....

The Public Service Association (PSA) has accused the South Australian Government of trying to minimise scrutiny of its budget.
It says parliamentary debate was scheduled to start in the middle of October, but will now begin today and finish next week.
PSA official Jan McMahon said debate had always been scheduled two weeks after budget estimates hearings in State Parliament, so this time would avoid that scrutiny. "This is unheard of. This is about rushing through legislation to take away workers' conditions of long service leave and recreation leave loading," she said..

[Jimmy_041]

Anyone else hear Weatherill talking about GMH on Leon Byner's show yesterday?
Talk about disappearing up his own rectum when having a crack at Marshall
Byner was obviously getting fed by someone who actually knew what was going on because he stumped him a number of times about his hypocrisy

[bulldogproud2]

A lot of people don't know who Steven Marshall is let alone what he or the Liberal party stand for.

That may be in the favour of the Liberal Party though. I can't see Labor winning it from here. Personally I am very disappointed at how they have handled the education portfolio, particularly cases of abuse.
One thing Steven Marshall has in his favour as well is is virtual anonymity. Being a first-term politician, he hasn't had a chance to put his foot in it... yet.

Cheers

[bennymacca]

a platform of keeping your head down and not fking up will probably work for the libs, i too think jay handled the abuse stuff extremely poorly. he still has time to turn it around though

[Psyber]

a platform of keeping your head down and not fking up will probably work for the libs, i too think jay handled the abuse stuff extremely poorly. he still has time to turn it around though

On the strength of the Paedophile vote?

[Booney]

$0.02 worth from a Joe Average......The State Liberal party are going to hurt on the back of the Federal ALP leadership spill(s).

I for one would rather know Weatherill will be in charge of a disfunctional outfit than not know who will lead the Libs from one week to the next.

As much as the ALP have performed poorly while in office, it pales into insignificance when you think how poorly the Libs have done in opposition.

[Jimmy_041]

Weatherill at it again

http://indaily.com.au/business/2013/12/09/state-pollies-get-personal-holden-fight/

“That’s a pathetic excuse for a divided Liberal Party,” the Premier said when responding to Marshall’s argument that while there was consensus in Australia on the desirability of Holden’s ongoing presence, global decisions may be out of local hands.
“I’ve spoken to (Holden Australia’s boss Mike Devereux) and he denies it – he denies that a decision has been made.
“I’m not interested in this fake bipartisanship. If you had any guts at all you’d join with me in demanding federal government action.”
Marshall responded by accusing the Premier of “fake rage”.
“All this fake rage … you think the best way to negotiate this is through the media and wearing red t-shirts,” Marshall said.
“You had your chance in March 2012 when you claimed you’d done a deal with Holden … you had your chance and you fluffed it.”
The Premier defended his March 2012 deal, with the claim that the business case it was based on had deteriorated.
“There were changes to the international exchange rate that made the business case no longer viable,” he said.
The exchange rate in March 2012, however, was AUS$1.03 to the USD$1 – its rate today of 91 cents is a marked improvement that benefits local manufacturers.
InDaily has asked the Premier’s office to clarify the exchange rate remarks.