The South Australian Political Landscape

[Jimmy_041]

What the Feds have made very clear is the "welfare state" has completely gone whereas Weatherill wants to maintain it (with someone else's money I might add).
Nyrstar is a foreign public company and aren't actually aren't asking for money, but they do want a $180m guarantee. So, we take the risk on the $180m.

I dont think it matters that its a Labor Govt here and dont forget Pirie is in Grey which is Liberal.

What you are going to see though is this Govt having to go cap in hand to Canberra for money after abusing them all election. You cant kick the crap out of people and then kiss and make up saying you didn't really mean it (although Kouta thinks you can) http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia-state-election-2014/federal-south-australian-leaders-don-farrell-and-jamie-briggs-trade-blows-over-development-projects/story-fnl3k6uz-1226860614367

From what I heard this morning, it has already started. Weatherill basically said it was done and dusted whereas Briggs said it wasn't, but then again, Weatherill said a lot during the election which Briggs said wasn't right, so Labor are true to form again.

You people voted for someone to stand up to Tony Abbott instead of negotiating with him. Enjoy it, because there's going to be a lot of childish tantrums and foot stamping coming from Weatherill and Kouta in the next couple of years when they dont get their way and have no money to do things themselves.

[Psyber]

First problem Jay has is how is he funding the Torrens Rd end of South Rd upgrade? Tony isn't going to hand over the cash when he had stated the Darlington end was first up.

This is going to be a mess

I am wondering where the deficit will be in a few more years, especially after the auction for next times vote buying.
It is currently only about $1000 for each man, woman, and child in SA at $1.1 Billion.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-22/s ... on/5213550

Updated figures show the current financial year's deficit is expected to reach $1.1 billion, $60 million more than in the most recent forecast.

The details were leaked before the Premier's media conference on Wednesday, with the biggest hit to come from revised GST forecasts which have plummeted by $303 million.

Jay may be asking Tony to increase the GST soon...

[Jimmy_041]

Funny how Labor were dead against the GST and now they breastfeed off it like a new born baby
You can just hear Jay now saying how the bad Libs are for increasing it whilst gleefully pocketing every bit of it
The Federal Libs have no intention of taking the rap for increasing it.

[bennymacca]

balancing a budget that large to within 5% seems like a decent achievement to me. that would be in line with most large companies i would think? especially given their variable revenue streams (GST as you mentioned?)

[mighty_tiger_79]

the Feds will do one end of south rd and the state will do the other at the same time

[Psyber]

balancing a budget that large to within 5% seems like a decent achievement to me. that would be in line with most large companies i would think? especially given their variable revenue streams (GST as you mentioned?)

But any large company that had a deficit that size and was having to borrow more money to make the repayments would be in deep trouble in the stock market and with its shareholders, and any further rise in debt would cause more concern about the decision making in the board room.

However, a state government can continue to jack up state taxes - both the overt and the covert ones.

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

You people voted for someone to stand up to Tony Abbott instead of negotiating with him. Enjoy it, because there's going to be a lot of childish tantrums and foot stamping coming from Weatherill and Kouta in the next couple of years when they dont get their way and have no money to do things themselves.

My conscience is clear, I didn't vote for Labor, and even if I had, the electorate I live in is so safe for the Liberals that the sitting member would need to enter into a sexual relationship with a ballot box and post the video footage on you tube in order to suffer any voter backlash. Even then it is unlikely they would be ousted!

[Jimmy_041]

You people voted for someone to stand up to Tony Abbott instead of negotiating with him. Enjoy it, because there's going to be a lot of childish tantrums and foot stamping coming from Weatherill and Kouta in the next couple of years when they dont get their way and have no money to do things themselves.

My conscience is clear, I didn't vote for Labor, and even if I had, the electorate I live in is so safe for the Liberals that the sitting member would need to enter into a sexual relationship with a ballot box and post the video footage on you tube in order to suffer any voter backlash. Even then it is unlikely they would be ousted!

Then, you need to join my quest to make our seats marginal so we can get some lollies too
I want a new smelter in your backyard

[gossipgirl]

perhaps the Russians will take over

the russians are coming, the russians are coming

[Red Rocket]

Geoff Brock "doesn't want to politicise the Nyrstar transformation project" yet put it on the table to both parties and got bought by Weatherill
Marshall said he'd speak to the Federal Govt over the weekend, but Weatherill has guaranteed that they (we) will pick up any shortfall
Weatherill says the project is all OK yet Briggs says its far from a done deal
This is going to get messy................................................
Weatherill refused to say what this deal is going to cost (us)

I agree Jimmy, I'd imagine the Feds are not going to give over large sums of infrastructure investment to the only Labor run state in the country, especially the tight fisted mob in Canberra at the moment. It is a big call from Labor to to say they will pick up any shortfall without knowing what that shortfall might be.

Agree, cant see the feds handing over extra money to SA anytime soon and rightly so.

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Then, you need to join my quest to make our seats marginal so we can get some lollies too
I want a new smelter in your backyard

I would love to be in a marginal seat, then our elected member would actually need to get off their backside and do something more than attend a few school fetes to get re-elected. Our sitting member actually spent more time assisting the campaigning in marginal seats than they did in their own electorate. They still romped it it. Too many voters on both sides of politics blindly follow their inherited political tribe rather than voting for what's in the best interests of the local community at that point in time.

I think a smelter might be a bit on the nose with the people of my electorate

[dedja]

balancing a budget that large to within 5% seems like a decent achievement to me. that would be in line with most large companies i would think? especially given their variable revenue streams (GST as you mentioned?)

But any large company that had a deficit that size and was having to borrow more money to make the repayments would be in deep trouble in the stock market and with its shareholders, and any further rise in debt would cause more concern about the decision making in the board room.

However, a state government can continue to jack up state taxes - both the overt and the covert ones.

Not necessarily. The utilities sector for example requires high capital gearing to exist, so borrowing at 70% is not out if the ordinary due to very high capital expenditures and associated capitalisation policies.

It's horses for courses.

[Jimmy_041]

Here you go - info on the Nyrstar deal: http://indaily.com.au/news/2014/03/24/brock-deals-150-million-price-tag/

[Gozu]

Federal Liberal minister Christopher Pyne today described the new Labor government as “illegitimate”.

“Jay Weatherill’s government is an illegitimate government,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Pyne said the Liberals had achieved 53 per cent of the two-party preferred vote in the March 15 state election.

He argued this showed the electorate boundaries were drafted in such a way that Labor could win the election with 47 per cent of the vote.

“That needs to be closely looked at,” he said.

Marshall said this morning that “I believe Jay Weatherill doesn’t have a mandate to govern”.


http://indaily.com.au/news/2014/03/24/l ... to-change/

Where do the Libs find these idiots, elections are decided on who wins the most seats not the most votes overall and Pyne fails to mention the Howard govt of which he was a part of not winning the majority vote at the '98 federal election but won the most seats so continued to govern.

[Jimmy_041]

He lives somewhere near dedja's place

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Quote from In Daily Article - Liberals squeal while Labor promises to change

'Weatherill sealed his deal with Brock after driving to Port Pirie on Saturday to meet with him after news broke of Such’s illness. Marshall said he spoke with Brock via the phone several times on Saturday. http://indaily.com.au/news/2014/03/24/liberals-squeal-labor-promises-to-change/

I guess Weatherill just wanted it more than Marshal and understood how to get it better than Steven did.

[Jimmy_041]

I think he said he had already made his mind up (although I'm not convinced he knew what he was saying this morning)

Here is the clip: http://blogs.abc.net.au/sa/2014/03/breakfast-reloaded-monday-243.html?site=adelaide&program=adelaide_breakfast

I wonder if Weatherill will drop him like a bag of hot shoit once he doesn't need him (Rann and Gillard have both done it)

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

I wonder if Weatherill will drop him like a bag of hot shoit once he doesn't need him (Rann and Gillard have both done it)

Probably. It is politics after all.

[OnSong]

Quote from In Daily Article - Liberals squeal while Labor promises to change

'Weatherill sealed his deal with Brock after driving to Port Pirie on Saturday to meet with him after news broke of Such’s illness. Marshall said he spoke with Brock via the phone several times on Saturday. http://indaily.com.au/news/2014/03/24/liberals-squeal-labor-promises-to-change/

I guess Weatherill just wanted it more than Marshal and understood how to get it better than Steven did.

Brock had told Steven he wanted the weekend to spend with family and would make a decision mid next week.

I don't think he seriously considered going with the Libs anyway.

[bennymacca]

Federal Liberal minister Christopher Pyne today described the new Labor government as “illegitimate”.

“Jay Weatherill’s government is an illegitimate government,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Pyne said the Liberals had achieved 53 per cent of the two-party preferred vote in the March 15 state election.

He argued this showed the electorate boundaries were drafted in such a way that Labor could win the election with 47 per cent of the vote.

“That needs to be closely looked at,” he said.

Marshall said this morning that “I believe Jay Weatherill doesn’t have a mandate to govern”.


http://indaily.com.au/news/2014/03/24/l ... to-change/

Where do the Libs find these idiots, elections are decided on who wins the most seats not the most votes overall and Pyne fails to mention the Howard govt of which he was a part of not winning the majority vote at the '98 federal election but won the most seats so continued to govern.

in fact, contrary to other places (or so i believe, happy to stand corrected), SA is mandated to redraw the election boundaries after every single election to try and get the boundaries to reflect the overall vote. so whilst its true that the two party preferred might have been higher for the libs, it tells me that labor have campaigned better in marginal seats.

calling the government illegitimate is just blatantly ridiculous, and actually undermines the democratic process imo. there is nothing wrong with a minority government, and in a way i think it can sometimes achieve better outcomes than a government where there is a strong majority.

the advantage is that issues that typically could be swept under the carpet are brought into focus. the flipside is that you end up pandering to a small number of people with the balance of power.

in my mind it would be much better off if it was more acceptable to cross the floor to vote with the thoughts of your constituents rather than along party lines, though i doubt this will ever happen.