An interesting political arrangement - a good one though imo

I can't say I follow South Australian politics closely, but I like the rationale behind this....

TL;DR - in South Australia a Liberal politician has accepted an offer to become a Minister as a part of an ALP state Government.



Former SA Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith becomes a minister in Labor State Government

FORMER Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith will become a minister in the minority State Labor Government.

Mr Hamilton-Smith has accepted a spot in Cabinet and will sit on the crossbenches.

He will become the minister for Investment, Trade, Defence Industries and Veterans Affairs.

Mr Hamilton-Smith's defection takes Labor's working majority in Parliament to two.

Former minister and Member for Newland Tom Kenyon brokered the deal over a series of lunches following the election.

Mr Hamilton-Smith and Mr Kenyon, in the last term of parliament, travelled overseas on several bipartisan trade missions and became good friends.

Mr Hamilton-Smith has held the safe Liberal seat of Waite for 14 years and was opposition leader between 2007 and 2009.

"I'm delighted the Premier has extended this opportunity to me to serve in government," Mr Hamilton-Smith said

"The Government won the election ... the election is over and what we all in Parliament need to consider is what is in the best interests of the people of South Australia.

"What the people of South Australia deserve now is good and effective government. They deserve certainty."

He said his defection would give the community certainty in a time of great economic challenges.

He said he and Premier Jay Weatherill "want to build things, we don't want to rip them down ... it's time to put people first and politics second".

He said he would be "an independent Liberal" serving in the State Government. "The people of Waite elected a Liberal and they still have one. I will be running at the next election as an independent Liberal. Having made this decision I will put myself back to the people of Waite, I will explain my decision and I will stand for re-election in 2018."

He said he had spent most of his career in Opposition, but Premier had given him an opportunity to "step up to the plate ... and make the world a better place and I'm going to take it".

Mr Weatherill said the decision meant having the "best talent available in SA" in the Government.

He said this was the best way for his Government to replicate the election result within the executive arm having both an independent and an independent Liberal in the Cabinet.

"We know he is hard-working and has been well regarded by industry and by all sides of politics since being elected to Parliament in 1997," Mr Weatherill said.

"Mr Hamilton-Smith has been a strong advocate for the defence industries and has worked in a bipartisan manner to advance South Australia?s trade investment."

 
Not sure about this one. Seems like in an extreme case the government could change after an election result has been decided.

Consider this, SA has 47 seats with 24 needed for a majority.

Assume both labor and liberal win 23 seats and one independent. If the independent sides with liberal, liberal form a coalition government with 24 seats to 23.

Six months later, one of the liberal ministers decides to be an independent and wants to side with labour. We now have the situation where labour has 24 seats to the liberal 23 and they could form a government.

Does anybody know how this would work in practice? Is there any rules preventing this from happening because essentially the government could change at any time outside of an election.
 
I think the governor can ask the premier to call an election to settle the issue.

Similar to the deal that Kerr did with Fraser in 1975?

Kerr - If I dismiss Whitlam and swear you in as Caretaker PM will you (a) immediately instruct the coalition members in the Senate to pass the Government's Supply Bills, and (b) call an election?

Fraser - Yes
 
I like it (this arrangement in SA) for reasons that I think this left-right / red - blue / ALP - Coalition divide is, tbh, mostly ********.

Notwithstanding that I think all politicians have a forked tongue and I wouldn't trust any of them as far as I could throw them, I do like it when they work together across "the political divide" in the interest of the greater good (ie. the people of Australia, or in this case SA).
 
16:42 Cjay MarkB MarkB
16:42 Cjay they are only doing it to try stay in government
16:43 MarkB oh whatever
16:43 Cjay and they gave it to a guy who is bitchy because he couldnt be prem
16:43 MarkB they got elected
16:43 Cjay well no they didnt
16:43 MarkB they're in power arent they?
16:43 Cjay the problem is they were relying on 2 indies for majority
16:43 DT-work it was a draw
16:43 MarkB well, welcome to democracy
16:43 Cjay 1 indie is sick and has to vacate, his seat is going to lib
16:43 MarkB make me absolute leader
16:44 Cjay and the other indie only sided because he wanted an absolute majority
16:44 MarkB he knows who butters his bread
16:44 Cjay so without the sick guy, labors majority falls and goes back to election
16:44 MarkB clever guy
16:44 Cjay but MHS is bitchy that he wasnt picked to be potential lib prem, so he'll gladly take any role before he's too old in politics to run
16:45 MarkB well - here's an interesting fact of politics... if you dont have the balance of power - you're ******
16:46 MarkB if u dont control the votes - you're ******
16:46 Cjay yup
16:46 Cjay so thats in the end
16:46 Cjay i dont see it being any better
16:46 MarkB that's politics tho
16:46 Cjay they've just shored up their control by picking the biggest ***
16:46 Cjay but its ok, the unions are dying
16:46 Cjay give it time and even SA will be blue
16:46 MarkB the biggest **** who also realises that if he wants a seat at the table, he needs to rollover
16:47 MarkB the biggest **** sounds like the smartest guy in the room to me tbh
16:47 Cjay those who accept political BS endorse and reinforce it.
16:47 Cjay its not a question of smarts
16:47 MarkB BS is indivisible from politics
16:47 Cjay its called a shovel a shovel
16:48 MarkB it is all about power..... attaining it
16:48 Cjay lets just admit what its all about, not pretend its about briding divides
16:48 MarkB and keeping it
16:48 Cjay exactly
 
It's a bit disappointing really. As detestable as most bench-warmer party-faithful MP's are, there's an expectation in the electorate that they will tow the line, or resign on principle (like Chris Davis in Queensland).

On the ironic side, the South Australian Labor party now has someone with small business experience in their ministry.
 
It's a bit disappointing really. As detestable as most bench-warmer party-faithful MP's are, there's an expectation in the electorate that they will tow the line, or resign on principle (like Chris Davis in Queensland).

I know very little of Davis' situation, other than that it seems he had a falling our with his party.

Chris Davis, who was dumped as assistant health minister for speaking out against the doctor contracts and the government's Crime and Misconduct Commission amendments last week, submitted to Speaker Fiona Simpson after midnight on the last parliament sitting of the week with the letter being tabled to parliament on Friday

I don't think Hamilton-Smith has "rolled over" on his party. They've been consigned to the opposition benches after all.

If anything he's given his party / point-of-view the opportunity to have a seat at the table.

And at the table is where you want to be in politics.

In political opposition, as in life, 100% of nothing is nothing.

On the ironic side, the South Australian Labor party now has someone with small business experience in their ministry.

And that's my point.

You pick the best.

And not just from the boneheads who just happen to be indoctrinated with the same thought processes as you.
 
Back
Top