Here you will find my latest comments on the happenings in South Australian Politics
Political comments
22/04/2009
On the 17/02/2009 I stated in an article that if Premier Mike Rann was to include Tom Koutsantonis in his Cabinet he would rue the day. The bad press that the Labor government has received over the past week in relation to his irresponsible driving record (and subsequent resignation from the road safety portfolio) clearly substantiates my comment.I like other people in the industrial/labour movement were always amazed that this fellow even got into Parliament, let alone into the Ministry. To say the least, the bloke is an absolute joke. He was and continues to be what he was at school “a schoolyard bully” but as we know, when bullies are challenged they generally go to water.
Maybe it's time for people in his electorate to challenge him for pre-selection and or stand as a candidate against him in the next election as independent Labor.
It is a well-known fact that a lot of Labour Party members in his electorate have little or no respect for him. It's a rarity for him to call sub-branch meetings in his electorate, and it generally only happens after complaints are lodged with the party office.
I for one will be surprised if he survives as a Minister for more then 3-6 months.
05/03/2009
I read an amazing article in the Advertiser (Thursday 5 March page 27) on the “ALPs new Dons make their play”Talk about being bankrupt on talent on the Left & Right factions of the ALP when they have to put in Dave Gray and Bernard Finnigan as so called convenors (Dons) of their respective faction. That immediately opens up debate because I can not tell between the right and left factions on what they respectively stand for. It’s certainly nothing to do with differences on policy because they never disagree and an example of this was the way they came together and supported each other on the WorkCover debate.
It’s all a charade as we know Butler and Farrell will continue to call the shots so sorry Dave & Bernie you are Dons in name only. Marlon Brando will turn over in his grave having these two called Godfathers.
It typifies what I have been saying for years i.e. the so called Left Faction of the ALP lost its way many years ago through the pure opportunism of a number of people in Parliament – State and Federal and one that’s retired from the Senate but still has enormous influence in the Faction.
More on this in a future article.
25/02/2009
There is a story going around Parliament that if Mike Rann removes Micheal Wright from the Ministry Wright will resign his seat in the western suburbs and force Rann to face off the Liberals in a by-election.IF the threat is genuine, then Rann should call his bluff because he has been a disaster as a Minister, in particular for the WorkCover scheme.
17/02/2009
Mike Rann is preparing to have a reshuffle of the Government Ministry.Rory McEwen will go as he is retiring from State Government Politics at the next election.
Carmel Zollo will be given the chop. One could suggest that there are others that could go also but then who would Rann replace them with as the calibre of those not already in the Ministry is very poor.
Michael O’Brien and Tom Koutsantonis will be in the reshuffled ministry. Rann will rue the day he has to place Koutsantonis in the Ministry. If it happens – watch this space.
For those who don’t know it, O’Brien lives in the millionaires suburb of Springfield and his electorate Napier is in the working class areas of: Elizabeth, Elizabeth Park, Elizabeth Downs, Elizabeth North, Elizabeth West, Blakeview, Craigmore, Smithfield, parts of Davoren Park as well as semi-rural One Tree Hill and Uleybury.