The SA Politics Thread

[claybro]

[quote="rev"]Clay, what was wrong with Rudd?

I am surprised by the calls to return Rudd. Has everyone forgotten how unpopular he was? After the media love affair with him waned, the populous saw him for what he was. The constant pompous waffle without actually saying anything of substance turned people off in droves. And the polls reacted accordingly.His number s were woeful.Back in the day he managed to keep us out of recession (by spending a multi billion suprplus he inherited), and the numerous interest groups, talk fests et al..rock stars on the frontbench.....closing down the evil offshore processing..they were heady days indeed...but then everyone saw there was no real substance to all this. He became so poisonous to Labours re-election chances, they knifed him. Then to Julia, who having "lost" the last election, did all sorts of deals with the (20 minutes of fame) independants..oh and the Greens, and even a former Liberal. No wonder the "best government ever" is so on the nose in the polls, not that the oposition is much of an alternative.

[claybro]

Dont worry Aidan, we all know the carbon tax is working....it snowed last week in SA

[metro]

and so it begins:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6499202065

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-19/s ... section=sa

[Alyx]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6499202065

I enjoyed this short-lived opening paragraph for the article above:

The Liberals will win the next state election in a landslide regardless of the outcome of Tuesday's leadership ballot, according to an adelaidenow poll.

The poll - taken today in the wake of the decision by former Opposition leader Martin Hamilton-Smith to formally challenge Isobel Redmond - shows 69 per cent of respondents believe the Liberals win while 31 per cent back a Labor victory.

Because, as we all know, adelaidenow's snap online opinion polls are an accurate, balanced, and trustworthy source of information...

[rhino]

I can only report on the Labour governments, both of which have scraped in on mnorities after some very shady wheeling and dealing.

Where did you get that from? The Labor Party won the last South Australian election outright (they won more than half the seats). They haven't been a minority government since Mike got in with Peter Lewis' backing, about 3 elections ago.

[rhino]

I must say I am surprised at how much flack Wayne Swan gets, when he (and Rudd, who he says was impossible to work with) got us through the GFC ahead of the rest of the world. I have no doubt that we are in a far better situation now than we would have been had he not put in place the stimulous package. Sure, we had a surplus and now we have a deficit, but without the stimulous package, we would still be carrying a deficit now, and would be finding it harder to pay off than we are. People seem to forget that John Howard governed us through a period of world prosperity, not just Australian prosperity (which he liked to take credit for). I think it was Saul Eastlake who said "... a trained monkey could have given us a surplus during those years..."

[claybro]

"... a trained monkey could have given us a surplus during those years..."

Indeed it must have been so easy that in a decade the much maligned Howard and Costello governments managed to wipe off tens of billions of debt left to them, then create that massive surplus. So easy that no other country in the developed world had such a surplus to rely on when the GFC hit. Must have been well trained monkeys. Swan also did what every other treasurer in the world did by spending massive amounts on stimulus. The reason it was so successful here was that even after the massive spend, our defecit was still amongst the lowest in the world, our banking system did not collapse, and Australia was allowed to continue borrowing at realatively reasonable rates, once again as a result of the massive surplus he started with with.

[claybro]

And back to SA politics, must say I am not happy with the resurrection of MHS. for opposition leader. He didnt work last time and it wont work this time. Jay still presents a much calmer, more controlled demeanour as a leader, and on election day, it is the leader of the parties and therefore potential premier that people generally remember and not their local rep. I dont think the libs are on to a winner with this one.

[Nathan]

I don't usually cherry pick, but I thought this was an interesting little grab from Isobel Redmond's platform for the next election:

She [Redmond] also flagged a plan that shifts focus from public transport to cars.

Voters can also expect a new Liberal transport plan, similar to the Government's 30-year housing development blueprint, which maps out long-term priorities for upgrades to roads and public services.

"You want a vibrant city, you need to have . . . people coming in - daytime, night time," she said.

"At the moment, everyone seems to be on the idea of getting cars out of the city. The reality is, if you get the cars out of the city, how are you going to get a vibrant city?"

Ms Redmond said this would include targeting areas where conflict between cars and train level crossings can be eliminated with underpasses or overpasses, and a major upgrade of the north-south road corridor

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/south-aus ... 6548171803

Has she ready any of the various reports commissioned by both the state government and the council, and recommendations made by thinkers in residence (not to mention the many outside studies and examples) that are completely the opposite? Or is this just a populist grab at the "I need to drive everywhere and anywhere, and park right out front for free" brigade?

[monotonehell]

... Or is this just a populist grab at the "I need to drive everywhere and anywhere, and park right out front for free" brigade?

Own question answered. I've had similar communications from sitting members which are just cookie cutter hot button issues. Lazy popularist politics that many people see through these days.

[[Shuz]]

I am absolutely gobsmacked she even mentioned that.

We are the most car-dependent city in the nation as it is, and Isobel Reminds plans is to increase car dependency!?

Add this to her list of policy gaffes. She cannot continue being the Liberal leader and I bet she is out for sure by March 2013 and will be replaced by either Downer or Marshall.

[claybro]

Lib governments over the years have shown to be anti Public transport. My only hope is the current government, citing funding issues does not continue to loose momentum on this issue.They will be under pressure from the car lobby, beat into a frenzy by the Libs. Beats me how Isobel expects to double CBD population and still encourage suburban residents and workers to drive thier cars into CBD. 1950's thinking at its best.

[metro]

Oh man, what a stupid policy from the SA Liberal party!

and I was thinking about voting for them, haha not anymore!

[Waewick]

Oh man, what a stupid policy from the SA Liberal party!

and I was thinking about voting for them, haha not anymore!

are you really so fickle? won't even do a bit of research on the topic..

I don't think she is flagging a movement back to cars only, but the reality for a city that strectches 100kms you are going to get cars weather you like it or not.

I live 5kms from the cbd - with child in tow I drive every single time. (I live in Unley, so the government has 0 focus on PT there anyway, I assume they want us to drive our car.)

[Nathan]

0 focus on PT in Unley? What about the 4 bus routes up Unley Rd, plus the 2 routes up Duthy St?