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Geoff Brock Accepts Ministry From Jay Weatherill And Delivers Minority Government To Labor In South Australia

Mar 23, 2014

South Australia will have a minority Labor government with the support of independent member Geoff Brock, who has accepted a Cabinet post as Minister for Regional Development.

Brock-Weatherill

Brock, the member for Frome, announced his decision this morning at a joint press conference with Premier Jay Weatherill. It comes after yesterday’s announcement that the other independent member, Bob Such, is to take two months sick leave from the new parliament.

Counting of results in the election has confirmed that the ALP will have 23 seats, the Liberals 22 and independents 2. Without Such, a minority Liberal government is not possible. With Brock’s support, Labor can govern with 24 votes to 22. After the provision of a Speaker, Labor will have 23-22 on the floor of the House of Assembly. If Such supports the Liberal Party when he returns, the Speaker’s casting vote will be required for the government to survive.

Were Such to resign and cause a by-election, his electorate of Fisher would almost certainly be won by the Liberal Party but the government could still survive with the support of Brock.

Brock said his decision provided stability for South Australia. “I’m here for one reason, security and stability,” he said.

Brock’s agreement is with Weatherill personally, not with the ALP, and it allows him to vote independently in certain situations.

Weatherill has been Premier since 2011. He replaced Mike Rann who took Labor into government in 2002 and led it to re-elections in 2006 and 2010. If the minority government can survive a full term until 2018, it will complete 16 years in office.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said the ALP had no mandate from the electorate which supported the Liberals by a margin of 53% to 47% on a two-party-preferred basis.

  • Listen to Brock and Weatherill (30m)

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  • Listen to Marshall (9m)

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Marshall

Filed Under: A.L.P., Audio, Liberal Party, S.A., South Australia 2014 Tagged With: , , , ,

Rob Oakeshott (Ind – Lyne) – Valedictory Speech

Jun 27, 2013

Rob Oakeshott was the independent member for Lyne for five years from 2008 until 2013.

Oakeshott

Oakeshott was previously a Nationals and an independent member of the NSW Legislative Assembly. He won Lyne at a by-election in September 2008, following the retirement of the former Nationals leader, Mark Vaile. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Audio, Gillard, Independents, Valedictory Speeches, Video Tagged With: , , ,

A Scenario For Tony Abbott And A Motion Of No-Confidence

May 13, 2013

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s intention to give notice of a no-confidence motion when Parliament returns this week has always been a potentially messy business.

A brief explanation: the government controls the Notice Paper in the House of Representatives. This is the document which outlines the order and timing of debate, including the order of legislation.

Whilst there are set times when the Opposition can bring on debate on particular issues (such as in regular Matters of Public Importance), if it wants to move a specific motion it needs to first move a motion for the Suspension of Standing Orders.

Abbott

Abbott attempted to do this during Question Time on March 21, whilst the government was preoccupied with the leadership spill that wasn’t. He sought to suspend standing orders in order to move: “That this House declares no confidence in the Prime Minister.”

The motion was carried by 73 votes to 71 but was defeated because a suspension of standing orders requires an absolute majority of 76 votes.

Abbott then announced that he would give notice of a no-confidence motion when the House resumes tomorrow. He didn’t say whether it would be no-confidence in the government or the prime minister. The difference is technically significant but may not necessarily be crucial to the outcome of any vote. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2013 Federal Election, Gillard, House of Reps, Liberal Party, Opinion, Parliamentary Procedures, Political History Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Senator Christine Milne’s Address To The National Press Club

Feb 19, 2013

The leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Christine Milne, has addressed the National Press Club and announced that the party’s agreement with the Gillard minority government is at end end.

Milne

  • Listen to Milne’s speech (31m)

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  • Listen to Milne’s responses to questions (31m)

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  • Watch Milne (61m)

Text of Senator Christine Milne’s Address to the National Press Club.

Australian Democracy at the Crossroads: The mining industry and the quarry past versus the people and the innovative future.

Parliamentary colleagues, distinguished guests and friends.

Australian democracy is at the crossroads. Our future as a nation, our sense of who we are and what we want for our society and local community is now being determined by mining billionaires in boardrooms for themselves and their overseas shareholders, and what they want, is being delivered through our state and federal parliaments.

The mining industry has become so powerful that the lines between business and politics have become blurred to the detriment of people and the well being of our society. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Audio, Climate Change, Greens, Indigenous, Mining, Video Tagged With: , , , ,

Greens End Agreement With Gillard Government

Feb 19, 2013

The leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Christine Milne, has ended the party’s agreement with the Gillard minority government.

Speaking at the National Press Club today, Milne said the ALP had walked away from the agreement and “into the arms of the big miners”.

Milne

Milne said: “The Labor government is making it clear to all that it no longer has the courage or the will to work with the Greens on a shared agenda in the national interest.”

The Greens will continue to support the government on confidence motions and budget Supply, ensuring that the parliamentary status quo will remain through until the election.

Milne’s announcement is a clear sign of differentiation as the 7-month election campaign grinds on. The announcement has also been greeted approvingly by senior figures in the ALP.

  • Sep 1, 2010: Greens Signs Agreement To Support Gillard
  • Watch Milne:
  • Listen to Milne (3m)

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Extract of Senator Christine Milne’s speech to the National Press Club.

What has become manifestly clear is that Labor by its actions has walked away from its agreement with the Greens and into the arms of the big miners.

Let’s call a spade a spade.

By choosing the big miners, the Labor government is making it clear to all that it no longer has the courage or the will to work with the Greens on a shared agenda in the national interest.

By choosing the big miners, the Labor government is no longer honouring our agreement to work together to promote transparent and accountable government and the public interest or to address climate change.

Labor has effectively ended its agreement with the Greens. So be it. But, we will not allow Labor’s failure to uphold the spirit of our agreement to advance the interest of Tony Abbott.

We will not walk away from the undertakings we gave to the government in the Agreement and the people of Australia to deliver confidence and supply until the Parliament rises. We will see this parliament through to its full term.

The Greens will not add to the instability that Labor creates for itself every day. We are moving beyond the agreement as the key debates and outcomes left in this 43rd parliament fall outside it. We will continue to vigorously pursue the rapid transition to a clean green and clever country, reforms to the mining tax, a $50 a week increase to Newstart, increased funding to public schools through the Gonski reforms, implementation of the NDIS, and protection of Australia’s precious environment.

Filed Under: 2013 Federal Election, Audio, Gillard, Greens, House of Reps, Video Tagged With: , ,
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