The South Australian Political Landscape

[Psyber]

I heard discussion on Radio 891 this morning about fees in public schools.
I'd always understood education at primary and secondary level was supposed to be free.
(When I went to school they gave out notices for "Voluntary Contributions" - I never even took them home.)

The Liberal Party spokesman said the fees were around $500 per annum or more.
The Minister said they were only about $250 to $300.
Several callers rang in to say they had received bills for $700 to $1000.
One said his was only $250, but that was because he was a pensioner and his kids had an "exemption". (So an exemption is not absolute it seems.)

All of these fees are now collectable not voluntary - though the Minister argued there were voluntary because parents "agreed" to them first.
I assume that if they did it was under the pressure of emotional blackmail about their kids welfare.


These other figures came from a Liberal newsletter:

Since 2002 the CPI has increased by 33 per cent, while in the same period:
Water bills have increased by 178 per cent
Electricity bills have increased by more than 106 per cent
State Taxes have increased by 81 per cent
Gas bills have increased by almost 79 per cent
Property charges have increased by 72 per cent
Housing rents have increased by almost 46 per cent

[smac]

$270 at my kids school, with lots of little add-ons along the way at $2 to $10 each, depending on the purpose (excursions, class events etc.).

[Booney]

My son in year 10 :

$450 fees ( We get a discount if we man the BBQ when used for car parking during AFL games. We wont be doing it this year. Last year the wife and I did a combined 40 hours either on the BBQ or as car park attendants. We got $50 off the fees. )
$250 stationary / bag etc
$500+ for trips during the year ( sport )

[Psyber]

In my day my family paid for books and my school bag, but that was it.
My bag was personally selected from an Army Disposal outlet as suitable to function as a back pack while I rode my bike.
I didn't go on trips - which were rare, and linked to sport - as the lack of money meant it was no go if I couldn't get there by bike.

[Gozu]

In my day my family paid for books and my school bag, but that was it.

So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time

[dedja]

The reason these extra fees get approved is that the voting is on an opt out basis ... so generally they get approved every time because a lot of parents don't bother returning the forms.

[Sky Pilot]

It doesn't matter which party occupies the treasury benches on North Terrace, primary and secondary education should be free.
If you want to send your kids to StPeters or Wilderness etc then you should pay whatever the cost is. Otherwise it simply should be free except for some items of stationery and uniform requisites. Excursions and sports trips should be funded by the department. If they can't afford it then they are incompetent at budgeting and should be drummed out of the public service.

[Psyber]

In my day my family paid for books and my school bag, but that was it.

So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time

I was just young enough to miss out an having to carry the horse to school.

Quite modern really - I rode a 27" semi-racer bike with the new advanced 3 speed gears by Sturmey-Archer.
(A bit different from the 27 speed gear systems on a few bikes I've been test riding lately.)

[dedja]

It doesn't matter which party occupies the treasury benches on North Terrace, primary and secondary education should be free.
If you want to send your kids to StPeters or Wilderness etc then you should pay whatever the cost is. Otherwise it simply should be free except for some items of stationery and uniform requisites. Excursions and sports trips should be funded by the department. If they can't afford it then they are incompetent at budgeting and should be drummed out of the public service.

I've been on school councils and the amount of discretionary spend in a school budget is two fifths of bugger all. Whilst the notion of free education is noble, I don't have a real problem with a relatively small payment to help to a school balance it's budget.

That said, we wouldn't want this fee to balloon out over years so that it becomes a burden on parents who can't afford it.

[Gozu]

Extensive profile on Susan Close Labor's candidate in the Port Adelaide by-election this Saturday:

http://indaily.wordpress.com/2012/02/06 ... ith-labor/

[Psyber]

This is not a bad summation: http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/201 ... 423830.htm

Former Labor Senator Chris Schacht spoke to 891 Breakfast today that, on the back of the latest polling figure released for the seat of Port Adelaide, it may be a very close contest.
Polling in yesterday's Sunday Mail revealed a shift in primary votes for the Labor Party faithful of Port Adelaide.
"It's certainly a close call at the moment of whether Labor will hold the seat," Mr Schacht said.

Nine candidates will appear on this Saturday's ballot paper, with ALP candidate Susan Close hoping to retain the seat.
With three independent candidates all polling in the low teens, Mr Schacht said preferences delivered to some of the independents could push some of the major party candidates out of the race.
"It's not impossible to think that the Greens are in the running, just as are Sue Lawrie (Independent True Blue Voice/ Independent Liberal), just as [Gary] Johanson (Independent For You).

[GWW]

Isn't that a regular occurrence that political parties (or those affilitated with them) downplay their chances at elections so that that undecideds won't decide to punish for fear of the party actually losing the seat (instead of just being "sent a message").

[Gozu]

Isn't that a regular occurrence that political parties (or those affilitated with them) downplay their chances at elections so that that undecideds won't decide to punish for fear of the party actually losing the seat (instead of just being "sent a message").

Yeah, Labor will win in a canter.

[rk25]

Keeping up to date with SA politics from across the border.

Is next week the first sitting week of the year? What are the issues that are likely to keep SA MPs (and MLCs) busy over the next 12 months? Is Jay's honeymoon over or will he consolidate the "I'm not Mike Rann" position into something more? Will Isobel say something? Anything? How will her shadow cabinet stack up when they finally get a chance to pit themselves against the opposition in Parliament? Will Hamilton-Smith make a move for the leader's gig?

[Psyber]

Isn't that a regular occurrence that political parties (or those affilitated with them) downplay their chances at elections so that that undecideds won't decide to punish for fear of the party actually losing the seat (instead of just being "sent a message").

Yes, but this time he may be right - intentionally so or not.
My ALP connections admitted to being worried during discussion over lunch on the 7th.

[Gozu]

POLITICAL commentators are confident Susan Close will hold the seat of Port Adelaide for Labor in tomorrow’s by-election, but the two leading independent candidates believe they have a chance of beating her on preferences.

“In a very, very safe Labor seat, voters who are rusted-on Labor voters had their protest vote last time,” said Flinders University Political Professor Haydon Manning.

“That’s not to say many of those who protested last time are likely to return to the fold, but it’s reasonable to say, I think, that there’s not many more there ready to protest, especially now that the sources of irritation are arguably significantly removed – that’s Rann and Foley.”

Labor held Port Adelaide with around the 49.9 per cent of the primary vote at the 2010 election. Former Labor treasurer Kevin Foley was the sitting member from 1993 until he left politics late last year, soon after Mike Rann’s resignation as premier. Rann’s decision to quit parliament also triggered a by-election tomorrow in Ramsay.

http://indaily.wordpress.com/2012/02/10 ... ith-labor/

[Gozu]

Tom Richardson on the leadership speculation in the Liberal Party:

Such is the lesson the South Australian Liberals could and should have learned a thousand times over, but never have and presumably never will.

Hamilton-Smith himself might well have survived as leader, had some of those poltroons and opportunists in his party rallied behind him, rather than briefing selected journalists that his credibility was irreparably soiled.

And now selected journalists have been briefed that Isobel Redmond is, effectively, on notice; that forces are aligning ready to step into the breach should that dreaded dip in the polls eventuate. Redmond may survive this fresh round of destabilisation, but the Opposition may not. If disunity is death, the SA Liberals should have been a rotting corpse of a party decades ago, and must surely now exist only as it were some zombified extra from a George Romero film, lurching about blindly for some morsel of power to devour.

There appears no strategy per se, and no great ambition. The party is largely bankrupt on policy and unable to articulate a broad vision or ideology.

http://indaily.wordpress.com/2012/02/10 ... ath-knell/

[Yardy Lard]

Tom Richardson on the leadership speculation in the Liberal Party:

Such is the lesson the South Australian Liberals could and should have learned a thousand times over, but never have and presumably never will.

Hamilton-Smith himself might well have survived as leader, had some of those poltroons and opportunists in his party rallied behind him, rather than briefing selected journalists that his credibility was irreparably soiled.

And now selected journalists have been briefed that Isobel Redmond is, effectively, on notice; that forces are aligning ready to step into the breach should that dreaded dip in the polls eventuate. Redmond may survive this fresh round of destabilisation, but the Opposition may not. If disunity is death, the SA Liberals should have been a rotting corpse of a party decades ago, and must surely now exist only as it were some zombified extra from a George Romero film, lurching about blindly for some morsel of power to devour.

There appears no strategy per se, and no great ambition. The party is largely bankrupt on policy and unable to articulate a broad vision or ideology.

http://indaily.wordpress.com/2012/02/10 ... ath-knell/

Would there be any chance that either party both in state and federal politics could settle on a leader and let "him or her" just see it out to an election. If the the back room boffins actually believe all the in house brawling from both parties, is advantageous, then they are kidding themselves. Sure - after an election loss then change leaders or if one resigns, but these constant overthrows or leaders being talked of being overthrown by their supposed colleagues, does nothing for either party other than show instability to potential voters. Rann was undoubtedly overthrown, but to the public it looked reasonably amicable (even though it clearly was not) and just replaced by another leader. That is the better option of just overthrowing leaders mid term and the blood letting that then takes place. The general voter, sees that as more stable than a public overthrow, where it is almost trial by media as well IMO. Remember most voters are swinging voters to a degree, with only a reasonably small minority having a clear allegiance to either Labor or Liberal.

[dedja]

Labor win Ramsay on first preferences, and Port Adelaide on 2-party preferred.

Our preferential voting system is a joke just quietly.

I had to laugh a at couple of Libs who wrote letters to the editor in Saturday's Advertiser having a go at Labor in the by-elections ... well at least Labor turned up.

[stan]

Tom Richardson on the leadership speculation in the Liberal Party:

Such is the lesson the South Australian Liberals could and should have learned a thousand times over, but never have and presumably never will.

Hamilton-Smith himself might well have survived as leader, had some of those poltroons and opportunists in his party rallied behind him, rather than briefing selected journalists that his credibility was irreparably soiled.

And now selected journalists have been briefed that Isobel Redmond is, effectively, on notice; that forces are aligning ready to step into the breach should that dreaded dip in the polls eventuate. Redmond may survive this fresh round of destabilisation, but the Opposition may not. If disunity is death, the SA Liberals should have been a rotting corpse of a party decades ago, and must surely now exist only as it were some zombified extra from a George Romero film, lurching about blindly for some morsel of power to devour.

There appears no strategy per se, and no great ambition. The party is largely bankrupt on policy and unable to articulate a broad vision or ideology.

http://indaily.wordpress.com/2012/02/10 ... ath-knell/

Sorry all I'm about to rant a little.

This is the problem with the Liberal party. Look at it this way they would have been in power if Vicki Chapman could shut her mouth for 5 minutes before the last election, Seriously as soon as there is some gain for the Liberal party theres always leadership talk. For god sakes im starting to think they are like the pakistani cricket team and have sone coin on Labor to keep winning!

Its crazy, Labor is looking at about a 9.6% swing against them in Ramsey (although they'll still hold) and it probably would have been more if MHS could stop feeding the speculation writers about the leadership. What the F*** is wrong with those morons?

Eddy McGuire would win the next state election against the current Labor government at the moment and christ I reckon all this bullshit from the Libs will probably get Labor back in at the next election.

And news flash MHS and Vicki Chapman, if you are asked about the leadership and you dont rule out a challenge, yes the media start with all this leadership crap and your party will suffer.

Sorry all, end of rant.