Public Opinion

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SA Labor hangs on « Previous | |Next »

March 24, 2014

The Weatherill Labor Government has been returned to power for another 4 years with the help of Geoff Brock, the Independent of Frome, to support a minority government. Bob Such, the other Independent is on sick leave. Weatherill's victory was mostly unexpected, and it was generally seen as unlikely by the savvy political commentators who have inside information.

SA Labor will serve another 4 year term in Government. However, Labor is clinging to the barest of majorities, with the constant danger of being brought down by a by-election defeat or the defection of any member who might happen to feel aggrieved over a policy dispute or demotion.

Part of the price for Brock's support is a deal to transform Port Pirie’s ageing smelter into an “advanced poly-metallic processing and recovery facility”. Brock is also to become the Minister for regional development and local government relations.

The Liberal Party and conservatives are saying that Weatherill’s government is an illegitimate, that it doesn’t have a mandate to govern and that the Independents are turncoats. The Independents are are turncoats because these are really Liberal electorates. They are calling for fresh election. It's a very familiar set of talking points from the three years of this from 2010-2013 at the federal level.

Labor is in a difficult position. It needs to reboot the state’s economic situation. On the one hand it the ALP is committed to keeping up its steady stream of state-driven infrastructure building (the politics of stimulus), whilst on the other hand it is committed to reducing the state's expenditure given the decline in GST revenue by around $308 million.

| Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at 1:33 PM | Permalink

| Comments (6)

Comments

From little things big things grow. I like that, Labor retains a spark and faces a rebuild, a re-gurgitation of ideas and dreams.
It would of been somewhat boring if the Libs had won. Life is no fun with out people to point at and laugh. Oh look at the drool.. ooh I cant look anymore.
Oh well there is always communism for you guys or petarastism. Good luck send us a post card from oblivion

Posted by: Les | March 24, 2014 10:52 PM

An AFR editorial says that SA Labor has no mandate to rule.

Posted by: Nan | March 25, 2014 7:59 AM

The AFR is the bosses rag..if it had written other, its tory readership would have spat.

Good to see Pt Pirie, a long- neglected place, may get some of the money intended for the pampered Eastern Suburbs.

Posted by: paul walter | March 25, 2014 10:58 AM

If Brock did a deal with the Liberals it would not have secured stability for the state when there was a hung parliament.

The situation would be 23-23 and no-one could form government . So SA would be left with the situation of caretaker mode

Posted by: Peter S Stock | March 25, 2014 4:38 PM

It seems that the Abbott Govt is not that interested in underwriting the Nyrstar transformation plan now that Labor is back in power in SA.

Labor's negotiations with Frome independent Geoff Brock to achieve a fourth term that the Weatherill Government appear to underwrite the Nyrstar transformation plan in Port Pirie.

So the Federal Government does not need to deliver the money to transform its smelter. So says Federal Assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs.

Posted by: Perry | March 25, 2014 4:44 PM

They are nice people, aren't they?

Posted by: paul walter | March 26, 2014 12:53 AM