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Bob Such, South Australian Independent Liberal, Dies, 70

Oct 11, 2014

Bob Such, the former Liberal-turned-independent member of the South Australian Parliament, has died, at the age of 70.

Bob Such

Such held the seat of Fisher in the House of Assembly for 25 years. First elected in 1989, he served as a minister in the Liberal government led by Premier Dean Brown. He was moved to the backbench after Brown was deposed by John Olsen in 1996. In 2000, Such quit the Liberal Party and was re-elected as an independent in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Following this year’s state election, Such and Geoff Brock held the balance of power after Jay Weatherill’s Labor government was returned with 23 seats to the Liberal Party’s 22. A few days after the election, Such was diagnosed with a brain tumour. [Read more…]

Filed Under: S.A. Tagged With: , ,

COAG Discussions Focus On Terrorism, Federation And Taxation

Oct 10, 2014

The Council of Australian Governments met in Canberra and discussed a range of issues, including terrorism, reform of the Federation and the taxation system.

COAG

The Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, held a joint press conference following the meeting. He was accompanied by Premiers Baird, Napthine, Newman, Barnett, Weatherill and Hodgman, as well as the Territory Chief Ministers Gallagher and Giles. Felicity-Ann Lewis represented Local Government.

The State have agreed to introduce legislation to support federal laws covering the arrest, monitoring, investigation and prosecution of domestic extremists and returning foreign fighters.

COAG also agreed that the Federation and Tax Reform White Papers need to progress together. [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.C.T., Abbott, Audio, Federalism, Local Government, N.S.W., N.T., Qld, S.A., TAS, Taxation, Terrorism, VIC, Video, W.A. Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Martin Hamilton-Smith, Former South Australian Liberal Leader, Defects And Becomes Minister In Weatherill Labor Government

May 27, 2014

The former leader of the South Australian Liberal Party, Martin Hamilton-Smith, has defected and will become a minister in the Labor minority government led by Jay Weatherill, securing its position in the hung Parliament.

Defection

The decision was announced at a surprise press conference in Adelaide this morning. Hamilton-Smith will become Minister for Investment, Trade, Defence Industries and Veterans Affairs. He has guaranteed to support the government on Supply and confidence motions. He will sit on the crossbenches and contest his electorate of Waite as in independent Liberal in 2018.

Hamilton-Smith’s support gives the Weatherill government 25 votes in the 47-seat House of Assembly. The ALP won 23 seats at the election two months ago and governs with the support of Geoff Brock, the independent member for Frome, who was also given a Cabinet position.

The Liberal Party won 22 seats at the election but will now have 21. There is one other independent, Bob Such, the member for Fisher, who is currently on sick leave. If Such returns to Parliament, his vote will not affect the government’s survival.

The Leader of the Opposition, Steven Marshall, learned of Hamilton-Smith’s defection as he was about to leave on an overseas trip. He condemned Hamilton-Smith’s decision as “an act of political betrayal and treachery”. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Audio, Liberal Party, S.A. Tagged With: , , ,

Premiers Rebel Over Federal Budget Cuts; Demand COAG Meeting Before July 1

May 18, 2014

The States have rebelled over Federal Government Budget cuts, claiming that the impact will be felt on July 1, and demanding Prime Minister Tony Abbott convene a COAG meeting before then.

Newman

The State Premiers and Territory Chief Ministers met in Sydney today at a meeting called by the Queensland LNP Premier, Campbell Newman. The Western Australian Premier, Colin Barnett, was the only leader not to attend.

Newman said the meeting “firmly and unequivocally rejected” the Budget cuts. The political leaders demanded an urgent meeting of the Council of Australia Governments before July 1. Newman said: “Contrary to what the PM said today, there are immediate impacts to frontline services.”

He said the $180 million cut to hospitals would be felt immediately with about 1200 sub-acute beds being cut in hospitals. “There was a national partnership on preventative health – we all received letters saying that is terminated.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.C.T., Abbott, Audio, Budget, Federalism, Health, N.S.W., N.T., Qld, S.A., TAS, VIC, Video, W.A. Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

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: , , , ,
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