South Australia's Best Premier

[CK]

A fairly simple question, that will, no doubt, open a huge can of worms.

Have been having a spirited debate the last day or so with a mate that shares nearly the complete opposite political views to mine (without betraying either side's views), and of late, we have been looking at the relative strengths and weaknesses of various SA premiers.

Taking out the issue of personality entirely and looking solely at their achievements, who do the regular forum-ites believe is the best premier to serve South Australia over our time? I've deliberately left out short term premiers who replaced resigning premiers (hence no Lynn Arnold or Des Corcoran) and have left it to those that most posters here have experience with.

I'll be quite interested to hear about Sir Tom Playford from older posters like Psyber and Redandblack, who would remember at least some of his term, and certainly from the political forum regulars like Leaping Lindner, Sojourner, Gozu, Rik E Boy etc on many of the others.

[dedja]

In terms of lasting legacies, it's a 2 horse race between Playford and Dunstan, with Playford winning in my books, due mainly to the infrastructure changes he instigated.

Apart from the safari suit and pink shorts, the cultural reform of Dunstan endures.

Pity politicians these days aren't in the same league as these two.

[redandblack]

Obviously I think it's Dunstan by a street, but I'll give reasons when I get time.

Playford is the other contender and it depends on whether you want dramatic reform or the opposite.

[dedja]

Obviously I think it's Dunstan by a street ...

Couldn't see that one coming ...

[Ian]

Obviously I think it's Dunstan by a street ...

Couldn't see that one coming ...

My old man was a staunch Liberal supporter, never voted Labour in his life but I can clearly remember him say that Dunstan was the best Premier this state ever had by a country mile, considering his political persuasion that'll do for me

[am Bays]

How quickly they forget Charles Kingston...

Considering his role in Federalism, his contribution on the national stage and the funding legacy he achieved for South Australia from the federal purse, more than it contributes to our national GDP and per head of population, his contribution and legacy to this state dwarfs anyone since IMHO.

Playford and Dunstan would have been able to do diddly squat if it wasn't for Kingston.

IIRC it was Kingston who as premier legislated for universal suffrage for women and legislated for the first concilliation and arbitration act for workers.

Case closed

[dedja]

Not to mention Sir Henry Ayers and Thomas Playford Senior ...

[mick]

Dunstan! Every day I sit in traffic jam I think of him, economic poisoner of the state, one of the reasons I have detested the Labor party for 40 years. Sold the country rail network to balance the books, sold the land set aside for the MATS rapid transport freeway proposal to balance the books again, consorted with some very unsavoury characters. You couln't get petrol or meat in this metro area after 6pm........very ******* progressive. A pox on him.

Playford transformed SA from an agrarian state to an industrial state, nationionalised electricity, best ever Labor premie r.

Steele Hall, abortion law reform, began the development that lead to the festival theatre, electoral reform to remove the gerrymander

Brown/Olsen cleaned up the mess left by Bannon

Tonkin.....supported indigenous rights, Adelaide international airport... most underated premier IMHO

[Jimmy_041]

Rann

[Mr Beefy]

Dunstan! Every day I sit in traffic jam I think of him, economic poisoner of the state, one of the reasons I have detested the Labor party for 40 years. Sold the country rail network to balance the books, sold the land set aside for the MATS rapid transport freeway proposal to balance the books again, consorted with some very unsavoury characters. You couln't get petrol or meat in this metro area after 6pm........very ******* progressive. A pox on him.

Playford transformed SA from an agrarian state to an industrial state, nationionalised electricity, best ever Labor premie r.

Steele Hall, abortion law reform, began the development that lead to the festival theatre, electoral reform to remove the gerrymander

Brown/Olsen cleaned up the mess left by Bannon

Tonkin.....supported indigenous rights, Adelaide international airport... most underated premier IMHO

Some contradictions on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Adelaide_Transport_Study

In 1970 a new Labor government under Don Dunstan was elected and shelved MATS, but did not go as far as selling the corridors in case opinion changed in the future. Dunston proposed satellite cities such as Monarto, as well as investigating new technologies in public urban transport.[9] Dunstan attempted to construct a light rail line in the north-east along the Modbury corridor. It later turned out the O-Bahn was to be constructed instead.

In 1980, the Liberal party won government on a platform of fiscal conservatism and the premier David Tonkin committed his government to selling off the land acquired for the MATS plan ensuring that even when needs or public opinion changed, the construction of most MATS-proposed freeways would be impossible, however debate continued on a North-South Freeway to replace South Road.

[CK]

Dunstan! Every day I sit in traffic jam I think of him, economic poisoner of the state, one of the reasons I have detested the Labor party for 40 years. Sold the country rail network to balance the books, sold the land set aside for the MATS rapid transport freeway proposal to balance the books again, consorted with some very unsavoury characters. You couln't get petrol or meat in this metro area after 6pm........very ******* progressive. A pox on him.

Playford transformed SA from an agrarian state to an industrial state, nationionalised electricity, best ever Labor premie r.

Steele Hall, abortion law reform, began the development that lead to the festival theatre, electoral reform to remove the gerrymander

Brown/Olsen cleaned up the mess left by Bannon

Tonkin.....supported indigenous rights, Adelaide international airport... most underated premier IMHO

Some contradictions on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Adelaide_Transport_Study

In 1970 a new Labor government under Don Dunstan was elected and shelved MATS, but did not go as far as selling the corridors in case opinion changed in the future. Dunston proposed satellite cities such as Monarto, as well as investigating new technologies in public urban transport.[9] Dunstan attempted to construct a light rail line in the north-east along the Modbury corridor. It later turned out the O-Bahn was to be constructed instead.

In 1980, the Liberal party won government on a platform of fiscal conservatism and the premier David Tonkin committed his government to selling off the land acquired for the MATS plan ensuring that even when needs or public opinion changed, the construction of most MATS-proposed freeways would be impossible, however debate continued on a North-South Freeway to replace South Road.

While David Tonkin made the commitment to sell the land, I always thought it was John Bannon's government that actually sold it off.

[Leaping Lindner]

In my lifetime Steele Hall and Don Dunstan would tie. Two great leaders who were able to look past the next election and put the good of the State first.

Worst - Dean Brown by a mile. He should have been called biege not Brown. Talk about going back in time.

[Leaping Lindner]

Dunstan! Every day I sit in traffic jam I think of him, economic poisoner of the state, one of the reasons I have detested the Labor party for 40 years. Sold the country rail network to balance the books, sold the land set aside for the MATS rapid transport freeway proposal to balance the books again, consorted with some very unsavoury characters. You couln't get petrol or meat in this metro area after 6pm........very ******* progressive. A pox on him.

Playford transformed SA from an agrarian state to an industrial state, nationionalised electricity, best ever Labor premie r.

Steele Hall, abortion law reform, began the development that lead to the festival theatre, electoral reform to remove the gerrymander

Brown/Olsen cleaned up the mess left by Bannon

Tonkin.....supported indigenous rights, Adelaide international airport... most underated premier IMHO

Ditto under Tonkin. I think you'll find the MBL had a far bit of clout when it came to the opening hours of butchers.

[southee]

Rann

[mick]

Rann

Who was the silly **** who voted for Bannon, Bankrupt the state and you are the best premier.....

[dedja]

Dunstan! Every day I sit in traffic jam I think of him, economic poisoner of the state, one of the reasons I have detested the Labor party for 40 years. Sold the country rail network to balance the books, sold the land set aside for the MATS rapid transport freeway proposal to balance the books again, consorted with some very unsavoury characters. You couln't get petrol or meat in this metro area after 6pm........very ******* progressive. A pox on him.

Playford transformed SA from an agrarian state to an industrial state, nationionalised electricity, best ever Labor premie r.

Steele Hall, abortion law reform, began the development that lead to the festival theatre, electoral reform to remove the gerrymander

Brown/Olsen cleaned up the mess left by Bannon

Tonkin.....supported indigenous rights, Adelaide international airport... most underated premier IMHO

redandblack, come on down ...

[mick]

Dunstan! Every day I sit in traffic jam I think of him, economic poisoner of the state, one of the reasons I have detested the Labor party for 40 years. Sold the country rail network to balance the books, sold the land set aside for the MATS rapid transport freeway proposal to balance the books again, consorted with some very unsavoury characters. You couln't get petrol or meat in this metro area after 6pm........very ******* progressive. A pox on him.

Playford transformed SA from an agrarian state to an industrial state, nationionalised electricity, best ever Labor premie r.

Steele Hall, abortion law reform, began the development that lead to the festival theatre, electoral reform to remove the gerrymander

Brown/Olsen cleaned up the mess left by Bannon

Tonkin.....supported indigenous rights, Adelaide international airport... most underated premier IMHO

redandblack, come on down ...

Yep give us the Dunstan Myth Chapter and verse I can hardly wait

[dedja]

Fancy that, a politician with a social conscience ...

[mick]

In my lifetime Steele Hall and Don Dunstan would tie. Two great leaders who were able to look past the next election and put the good of the State first.

Worst - Dean Brown by a mile. He should have been called biege not Brown. Talk about going back in time.

I always value your opinion LL, but without trying to be a smartarse, when did Don put the welfare of the state ahead of his party? with Steele Hall removal of the gerrymander come under that criterion one could also argue the Dartmouth (Hall) versus (Dunstan) Chowilla dams would be similar. except that Chowilla had it ever been built would have been the greatest environmental vandalism ever perpetrated in Australia, not that it was considered as such by either side at the time, but would have flooded unique forrest and created a vast shallow lake near the SA border. Hall lost government over this issue and history has proved him right. Dartmouth was built Chowilla wasn't.

I rank Playford first, Hall second, Tonkin third, Dunstan 4th or 5th, Brown /Olsen were not great but somebody had to clean up the mess left by the Bannon.

[mick]

Fancy that, a politician with a social conscience ...

Social conscience for sure but economic incompetant, first manipulator of the media and spin doctor, Rann learnt his craft at his knee.