#Article: Rann to retire in 10 years.

[Howie]

SA Premier Mike Rann to stay in politics until he's 65
Article from: The Advertiser
January 15, 2008 03:15pm

PREMIER Mike Rann - already the nation's longest serving premier - says he intends to stay in politics for another 10 years despite speculation he may quit.

Mr Rann, 55, said today he intended to continue his political career until he turned 65, although he conceded whether or not he remained premier for all that time was up to the voters.

"I've actually named the date, I've done what (former prime minister) John Howard didn't do," he told ABC NewsRadio, referring to Mr Howard's refusal to specify exactly when he would retire.

Tongue-in-cheek, Mr Rann said when he turned 65 he would: "Pursue that career in the film industry that I've been training for."

The premier will turn 65 on January 5, 2018.

"I said I'd be staying in politics until I'm 65 ... I think that's about the right date," he said.

"I've broken all the rules, I've named the date."

Mr Rann's comments quashed speculation he might retire at some stage after the next election, due in 2010, if his Labor government was returned.

That possibility was raised on ABC radio yesterday by former Labor Senator Chris Schacht.

It would have the SA leader follow in the footsteps of former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, who both quit not long after winning state elections.

Mr Rann said given he had just turned 55, he found the leadership speculation "somewhat mischievous".

"You know what that is," Mr Rann said. "It's an admission by the Liberals that they can't win the next election."

The SA leader was first elected to state parliament in 1985 and became opposition leader in 1994.

After the 2002 election he formed government thanks to the support of former independent MP Peter Lewis.

Mr Rann's government was then returned with a big swing to Labor at the state poll in 2006.

To continue as premier until his now anticipated retirement, he would need to win at least two more elections.

Labor sources said today Mr Rann would stay in the job for as long as possible.

"He has a high personal approval rating, the Government has a very handsome majority and the Opposition is making little headway," one source said.

"Mike Rann will leave when he is good and ready and that won't be for a long time yet."

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

I personally think it's great that he has set a date.

Also sent a message to the premier today... asking him to outline a bold vision for Adelaide 2018. How does he see a future Adelaide, an Adelaide that is vibrant and exciting that will keep young people here and bring them in.

[Shuz]

That only gives me more incentive to vote for Rann to stay for the duration of another 10 years. He has been an excellent Premier, and I'm sure that with this vote of confidence he can look into establishing a more progressive vision for the future, one that will secure his premiership right through until 2018.

On a side note, Rann has previously stated that he would like to see his tram network vision for Adelaide implemented before he runs out of office - now that he has a date, we too have a date by which we would hope that Adelaide will have laid out and established a functioning tram network serving the city and the suburbs.

Long live Rann.

[Pistol]

Well I have to get his photo in this thread...

Rann has been one of the best Premiers South Australia has had. I have faith that Mike will guide SA through this prosperous time and
leave our state in excellent condition come Jan 5 2018.

Like Shuz - long live Rann.

[crawf]

Long live Rann!

Hes done great things for SA, and is going to do plenty more in the future. Though ofcourse there is room for improvement, I would like to see him more on the media, not just Kevin Folley (not a fan of him I must say) - from controversial topics to good news...

[rev]

Rann for another 10 years! Lets hope.
I seriously fear a lot of the progress made, such as more police/nurses, will be undone, if we have a change of government. Sure these policies have not been without problems, but at least something was done, when for eg. previous governments were not even trying to replace 1 for 1 retiring officers, let alone additional officers.

[Omicron]

I shouldn't like to pre-empt the longevity of a given Premier - my vote will always be dependent upon their effectiveness in each term. Any given Cabinet or Opposition are not necessarily representative of their successors.

[Will]

After the Liberals disastrous attempt at publicity in their fight with Foxtel, I am sure that voters in SA will add this episode to the long list of bloopers made by the opposition. They are not a serious alternative, and with that in mind, I can safely see Mike Rann retiring in 2018 still as Premier of our even greater state.

[PhilM]

One can't help but wonder if Chris Rann is behind the thread!! It seems to revel in the apathy sweeping this State!

Now I can't help but ponder why I get so heavily dissed on other threads for questioning the Government being vehemently told it is an apolitical site yet this dribble appears.

JK said " most of us on here couldn't give a toss about state politics, and what govt is in power"

Dare I ask what Mike Rann has done for the South Australian community? What he has done for the Police, Education, Families, public and private transport etc etc.

If we are lucky Rann will be gone before or at the next election after the WorkCover bubble bursts just like Bannon did when the State Bank fell over! Catch Bruce Pty Ltd will be in the news and the fools blindly following him will fall silent.

Trouble is, what is there to follow him? A Liberal party that thinks the Foxtel adds are naughty and need to be publicly addressed? Foley who knows the problems but lacks the courage to speak publicly about them for factional reasons? How about big Pat? We could have a Government that only operates until lunch time then its on for young and old!

Unless South Australians stop believing the crap being spun, we will have a very bleak future.

[Howie]

One can't help but wonder if Chris Rann is behind the thread!! It seems to revel in the apathy sweeping this State!

Now I can't help but ponder why I get so heavily dissed on other threads for questioning the Government being vehemently told it is an apolitical site yet this dribble appears.

JK said " most of us on here couldn't give a toss about state politics, and what govt is in power"

Dare I ask what Mike Rann has done for the South Australian community? What he has done for the Police, Education, Families, public and private transport etc etc.

Chris Rann isn't behind the thread. I reposted it from the Advertiser, as I think it would be great if Mike could outline a long term development plan for the city 2018.

Phil, although this isn't the forum for discussion on policing.. i'd like to add that Mike has been very brave in his stance on organized crime in state, he's put his personal safety and that of his family at risk and I believe he should be commended in tackling the problem head on.

[PhilM]

Phil, although this isn't the forum for discussion on policing.. i'd like to add that Mike has been very brave in his stance on organized crime in state, he's put his personal safety and that of his family at risk and I believe he should be commended in tackling the problem head on.

What has Rann actually done to bring his own life into danger? Huffed and Puffed, hurled sticks and stones? Nothing has come to fruition, in fact things have become worse!

You infer you are close to him, tell 'Mike' to get the Auditor General to look into the WorkCover debacle, how about announcing a Royal Commission into the Family Murders or even a Royal Commission into Police Corruption like Assistant Federal Commissioner Col Winchester called for before he was murdered, then you can tell us he is brave but don’t dare build Rann up for fronting the media and saying what he is gunna do?

He may well wanna be everyone’s best mate but at the end of the day he is little more than a caricature created by his own media spin. Pity they can't come up with anything tangible to support their ongoing adoration of the man! Unless you call an undersized tram to nowhere that keeps braking down an achievement? Oh there is that 30 metre tunnel they just opened. Whoopi, we are living in an era of unprecedented Government wealth yet the less fortunate in society are being trodden into the ground and their stories hidden under spin.

[muzzamo]

PhilM could you stay on topic and stop trying to hijack everyone elses threads. If you really care so much about your workcover stuff then start a new thread

And if you want to winge about the tram line why dont you stick to the proper threads on that too, but you will find there are few on here that are as narrow minded as yourself and most people wont agree.

[PhilM]

I thought this thread was about Rann staying on and questioning his achievements or lack there of?

I also thought that someone suggested he had done things to his own detriment.

I think it is on thread and you are simply looking for a chink, an opportunity to shoot someone who is blatantly anti-apathy down by appealing to the majority!

Hey, isn't that what spin doctors do?

[frank1]

Phil M, You seem to be consistantly going off topic and talking about the lack of planning done by the rann governemnt. If you want to talk about that, that's fine but could you use this forum:

http://www.sensational-adelaide.com/for ... f=1&t=1218

[rev]

What has the Rann government done? I'll repeat something I've posted before, but conveniently it is ignored by some.

More police. Not just 1 for 1 for retiring officers, but additional police on top of that. Previous governments, did not even bother to recruit to replace retiring officers, especially the last Liberal government.
More nurses. I think the figure was a couple thousand more?

There you go, two things you mentioned PhilM, where you attempt to criticse the Rann government, which in fact, the Rann government has done a great deal more for, then the previous government.

Here is another. The tram line extension. It has given developers/businesses confidence in expanding out of the central cbd, this is reflected by the recent spate of proposals in the southern end of the cbd.
The tram line has been a huge success, so much so its over crowded daily. Further expansion of the line can only bring more positive things for our cbd.

QEH - upgraded, some phases still to go.

Plans to replace the RAH with a first class modern hospital.

Actually taking on the biker gangs and organised crime. At least he has the balls to tackle these guys and trying to make our communities safer, who are known for using intimidation tactics to get their way with politicians. Just ask several council members around Adelaide who have been followed home after meetings by groups of bikers wearing their colours. Come to the Parks area(residential area) mate, right across the Parks community centre the Hells Angels have a club house. Lets see if you got the balls to do something about them.

Actually doing something about the River Murray. I believe, he got the other states on board. Did your buddies the previous Liberal government bother to even try anything?

Desal. plant. Doing something about securing our water supply into the future. And I dont particularly care if rates go up to help pay for this plant, because its something long over due. We are the driest city in the driest state in the driest country on the planet.

Got back the states AAA credit rating. This government has also created a plan, I forget the name now, which has allowed and encouraged mining companies to explore our vast outback for resources.

This government won the destroyer contract for this state. This government is expanding the ASC site and creating a maritime centre of excellence to provide skilled people for future ship building projects in this state.

I could go on and on with other minor things this government has done, both positive and negative. But the point is, while there are still key things which need fixing, ie public transport, so far the positive far out way the negative. This man, Mike Rann, even takes his own personal time to meet and spend time with local community groups at events or functions. Sometimes even at 4-6am in the morning as happened during 2004. Sure, he might just have been there because he had friends there, or was after votes, but I don't recall any opposition leader showing up. And there were no tv news cameras around, so maybe that's why the opposition leader didn't bother to wake up so early?

[Howie]

Unless you call an undersized tram to nowhere that keeps braking down an achievement? Oh there is that 30 metre tunnel they just opened. Whoopi, we are living in an era of unprecedented Government wealth yet the less fortunate in society are being trodden into the ground and their stories hidden under spin.

You really need to get a clue.

Every post you make ends up in a shit fight. How about a 24 hour ban to cool you down?