Rann releases Major Projects list

[stumpjumper]

Government releases 2010-2011 Major Developments Directory.

For those not following Mike Rann's every move on Twitter, the Premier has just (re)released the 2010-2011 list of major projects underway in SA.

http://resources.news.com.au/files/2010 ... ne-nav.pdf

$80 billion of public and private construction 'in the pipeline' (yet the government has to borrow money to pay its wages). It's an interesting read. As well as listing some new CBD development, it shows how dominant the government, through its vast Land Management Corporation, is as a residential developer in SA.

While the stalled Newport Quays development is listed as 'in progress', recently approved major projects such as Park Central on Dequetteville Tce, Kent Town, are not included. The report suggests that the project has been affected by the GFC and there will be a revision of stage 2B and a new Development Approval sought.

The report also confirms that the Oval redevelopment will cost at least $705 million - a figure that Foley rejected out of hand a few months ago.

Despite the text being tedious due to unremitting spin, and despite it probably being part of being a fight for life by Mike Rann and Kevin Foley, it's a good guide, and worth publishing, but tabulating the figures into government/non-government projects, pending/in progress etc would have been useful.

[frank1]

I don't know why people on adelaide now constantly bag this labour government. i have lived in adelaide all my life and i think this state has dramatically improved in the last 8 years compared to when i was a kid. i think this governemnt has been very good for this state investing alot of money in much needed infrustructure. keep up the good work rann and co

[dsriggs]

I don't know why people on adelaide now constantly bag this labour government. i have lived in adelaide all my life and i think this state has dramatically improved in the last 8 years compared to when i was a kid. i think this governemnt has been very good for this state investing alot of money in much needed infrustructure. keep up the good work rann and co

You see, Rann's always on TV saying good news. This MUST mean he has something to hide, obviously. Not like the Olsen days when there was no good news to be reported.

[stumpjumper]

I think both the pro and anti Rann parties will have an answer soon.

I went down to the Festival Theatre today to see what was going on. I have never seen or felt anything like it in South Australia. The crowd was jeering as Rann and Foley were hustled by what looked like seriously worried Star Force cops into the building. I don't think the crowd were just unhappy unionists, either - there seemed to be all sorts. The politicians, especially Hill and Conlon whom I saw quite close, looked shocked and scared.

Someone was shouting 'Are we broke, Kev? Are we broke you bastard?'

I think that would be a reference to Michael O'Brien's claim that SA is the poorest mainland state and that the government is borrowing money to pay wages.

As soon as the politicians had gone, the police did their best to disperse the crowd.

I'm pretty sure I saw some of the government media unit there too, filming away. They left in a government car.

I went there with my Shoppie mate (I've known him for years - he's not a bad bloke, he just has bad political judgement). He predicted correctly that the AWU motion for leadership change wouldn't get up. It was lost 118-61. The SDA's basic position, which my mate knows annoys a lot of people, is that: 'The SDA runs SA. Foley's in the job as long as he wants it, and Rann's got a job as long as the SDA wants him there.'

To objections such as 'What about the voters?', his response would be: 'The Libs cannot win enough seats in the Lower House. If they get close, we can just buy Independents to keep them out. The SDA bought former Liberal Peter Lewis in 2002 by giving him the Speakership to give Labor government, and we bought Maywald and McEwin in 2006 by giving them ministries to retain power. In 2010 Labor got back in with 37.4% of the primary vote to the Libs' 41.7% and got a two seat majority, so there.'

According to my mate, Rann will be ditched only when his position as Premier no longer keeps the Labor Left in their box. The defeat of the AWU motion means that the SDA won't remove Rann for the time being, but they are considering a change. Don Farrell, who appointed Rann as Labor leader, guaranteed Rann two terms as Premier after the 2002 election, so Rann, now in his third term, is effectively on probation at present.

Apart from all that, I think Rann is not just tainted, he is crippled, and no leader can survive that for long. Weatherill has the albatross of Cheltenham hanging around his neck, and O'Brien is too inexperienced to be a credible deputy. O'Brien as deputy and possibly Treasurer is about as believable as Chloe Fox as deputy speaker. I don't think that the SDA/Labor government can keep it together enough to rebuild public confidence in the three years until the next election. They can't afford any more problems, and there are plenty more to come.

[AtD]

"Borrowing to pay wages" is a misnomer.

[stumpjumper]

"Borrowing to pay wages" is a misnomer.

Why, AtD?

[AtD]

^^ Governments borrow to fund deficits. To say it's for a specific purpose out of the hundreds of things governments do is inaccurate. It's very rare where you can draw a direct link between borrowing and the hundreds of market and policy driven changes in the government's operations.

It's kind of like saying I have a credit card debt because I keep buying groceries, overlooking the fact all my investment properties burnt down.

State and Local consolidated General Government operating statement, 9 months ending 31 March (extract):
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected] ... enDocument (The 12 months ending 30 June 2010 are released next week I believe)

Total revenues: $11,981 m

Employee expenses: $ 5,509 m
Other operating expenses: $2,724 m
Interest expenses: $ 496 m
Grants and subsidy and other transfer expenses: $ 2,972 m
Net aquisition of non-financial assets $ 728 m
--- including Gross fixed capital formation $ 1,323 m *

Net lending/borrowing: $-1,094 m

You can't draw a line between the $1 billion of borrowing and just one specific item of the $13 b of expenses. You could just as easily say the deficit is due to gross fixed capital (ie building roads, schools etc).

I'm not trying to say the state's finances are particulary well managed or poorly managed.

* The ABS treats depreciation in a weird way, because they're trying to measure GDP, Gross Domestic Product. They don't look at consumption of fixed capital (ie depreciation). As far as GDP is conserned, your house burning down is economically productive because fire fighters are employed. Crazy, huh?

[stumpjumper]

Thanks AtD. It's obvious once it's pointed out.

It shows how politics on all sides is conducted in stripped down slogans.

[rev]

I guess this is why there was such a heavy police presence around them.

Kevin Foley was attacked in the early hours outside Marble Bar.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/prominent ... 5962251071

[iTouch]

that was pretty sad to hear. I can't believe some people would resort to violence. It was totally unnecessary and once again, the "totally unbiased" political commentator, or more commonly known as: The queen of the Adelaidenow whingers hive, Greg Kelton had his say on it:

ANY chance of a fresh start for the besieged State Government was blown away outside a city hotel at 3.15am yesterday.

At the Labor Party's state convention only hours earlier, there were hopes for a change of fortune for a party which, arguably, has had the worst year of any newly elected government in the state's history.

Treasurer Kevin Foley, who says he was king-hit in an unprovoked attack in Waymouth St, had been all smiles at the convention as he and Premier Mike Rann comfortably survived union calls for them to be dumped as party leaders in the name of generational change.

Many in the party had hoped that allowing the unions to let off steam would end the public spats over the harsh state Budget and speculation about both Mr Rann and Mr Foley's futures. No such luck.

The Labor Government is again under public scrutiny for all the wrong reasons and, once again, it is the Treasurer who is the centre of attention.

The question now is whether it is appropriate for the man who this week will be Acting Premier, while Mr Rann is overseas, to be out on the town at 3am.

Labor MPs were circumspect about the issue yesterday, but no one can deny it again raises questions about Mr Foley's judgment, frequently fed with gossip columns filled with accounts of about his private life.

Mr Foley added to the speculation about his judgment late last year when, in an exclusive interview with The Advertiser, he revealed problems with depression.

Despite his denials about his future, Mr Foley would dearly love to succeed Mike Rann as Premier. He can see the benefit of having that title on his CV.

There had been support, not entirely unwavering, for him within the Right wing to be that successor but incidents such as this will lead to his supporters succumbing to the political equivalent of the Collywobbles.

Other leadership contenders - Attorney-General John Rau, Employment Minister Jack Snelling and Trade Minister Tom Koutsantonis - will find their support base growing, especially among the female MPs and party rank and file, as a result of this latest incident.

[dsriggs]

Greg Kelton is biased garbage. Pure & simple.

[rhino]

While I certainly don't condone the physical attack on Kevin Foley, I think that for him to call it "An unprovoked attack" is ludicrous.

"All I did was sack 3000 workers, and renig on the agreed enterprise bargain of 15000 or so others, including taking a week's leave a year off them. It was an unprovoked attack!"

I wonder how many suspects there are, Kev?

[monotonehell]

While I certainly don't condone the physical attack on Kevin Foley, I think that for him to call it "An unprovoked attack" is ludicrous.

"All I did was sack 3000 workers, and renig on the agreed enterprise bargain of 15000 or so others, including taking a week's leave a year off them. It was an unprovoked attack!"

I wonder how many suspects there are, Kev?

If you read the article it sounds more like some idiot (who didn't know who Foley was) had an objection to something Foley said outside the club. I'd say this had nothing to do with a political motivation, just some random idiot who thinks cowardly violence is a way to react.

[Isiskii]

I have encountered dozens of people who have voiced strong immense objection towards the leadership of Rann and Foley, and judging by the tone and severity of a few people's opinions, I'm actually surprised he walked away with nothing more than just a cut on his face.

The police presence at the State Labor conference is understandably justifiable given the circumstances. There are some really pissed off people out there calling for their heads.

[rhino]

While I certainly don't condone the physical attack on Kevin Foley, I think that for him to call it "An unprovoked attack" is ludicrous.

"All I did was sack 3000 workers, and renig on the agreed enterprise bargain of 15000 or so others, including taking a week's leave a year off them. It was an unprovoked attack!"

I wonder how many suspects there are, Kev?

If you read the article it sounds more like some idiot (who didn't know who Foley was) had an objection to something Foley said outside the club. I'd say this had nothing to do with a political motivation, just some random idiot who thinks cowardly violence is a way to react.

That would involve taking Foley at his word. Sorry, but I'm over that.