Dan still the man for Speaker | Greens use One Nation as inspiration

Gardner’s time to shine

David Speirs can’t take a trick.

Regardless of a wonderfully competent begin as SA’s new Opposition Chief, his first day on the job was blighted by Vickie Chapman’s announcement she was quitting the parliament – and now he’s set to overlook the primary day of the brand new parliament after catching COVID.

For historical past buffs, his absence will make him the primary new Chief of the Opposition to not ask the opening query within the subsequent Query Time since Martin Hamilton-Smith in 2007.

In Marty’s case, he opted to go away his first Query Time foray to his Liberal backbenchers after the scheduled showcase was delayed till after 4.30pm – which he reckoned was too late to garner vital protection on the night information.

As a substitute, he held off until the subsequent sitting day to make his prime-time debut of holding to account the Labor Authorities he would later be part of.

In Speirs’ case, the load will likely be shouldered by his new deputy John Gardner, who’s negative-PCR-tested (“it appeared prudent,” he tells InDaily) and primed to go – even when he’s underneath no illusions concerning the significance of the primary Query Time of 2022.

“There’s by no means been a file of the federal government listening to an excellent collection of questions on day one and realising they had been on the unsuitable observe and giving up,” he admits.

Nonetheless, he guarantees there will likely be an excellent collection of questions nonetheless.

John Gardner (left) is able to step into the foreground subsequent week. Picture: Tony Lewis / InDaily

New Speaker not super-human

Presiding over all this would be the new Speaker, who to no-one’s nice shock can be the previous Speaker.

Dan Cregan give up the Libs final 12 months earlier than seizing the Speakership from his one-time colleague Josh Teague in a late-night coup, throughout which Labor helped instil a brand new regime for appointing the Home of Meeting’s presiding officer, who should now be unbiased.

Whereas that may technically permit for a member of the Authorities taking the position, on the proviso they give up their get together during their tenure, it was at all times a no brainer to again Cregan in for one more go – partially to maintain the Kavel MP on facet, and partially (one presumes) simply to harass his former Liberal colleagues.

“Dan Cregan proved himself to be an excellent Speaker over the last time period of presidency [so] I and my Labor workforce will help Mr Cregan persevering with in that position when Parliament resumes for the brand new time period on Tuesday,” Malinauskas mentioned in an announcement right this moment.

“Through the earlier time period, I sought to enshrine the precept that the Speaker must be unbiased and that is one thing I’m eager to proceed now we’re in authorities.

“Regardless of the very fact Labor has a transparent majority within the Home of Meeting, I wish to lead a authorities which engages constructively with independents, for his or her communities and for the state.

“That’s why I’ve an unbiased in my Cupboard in Geoff Brock and I’m supporting an unbiased as Speaker.”

For his half, equally unsurprisingly, Cregan says he’s “pleased to proceed to serve the parliament if different members want for me to take action”.

“The poll for the Speakership is the one secret poll in parliament – and lengthy might that proceed to be the case,” he mentioned.

Cregan will likely be again within the chair subsequent week. Picture: Tony Lewis / InDaily

Nonetheless, he argues altering the constitutional course of to require an unbiased speaker “was necessary” as “it adopts the Westminster mannequin”.

“One of many difficulties with the earlier Speakership mannequin was that it required someone to have superhuman energy of impartiality and judgement,” he mentioned.

“If the best analogy is a soccer sport, the Speaker was a card-carrying member of 1 membership who sat in with the gamers earlier than the sport, heard all of the ways and participant adjustments after which ran onto the sphere with that membership and was anticipated to by some means umpire the sport impartially.

“I believe that might be very troublesome for anyone to do – which is why I assume they don’t do it at Westminster.”

One Nation fires up the Greens

Additionally taking their seat within the new parliament will likely be Sarah Sport, the virtually-unknown One Nation MLC whose potential election despatched a lot of the media right into a flap when she declined to talk publicly between polling day and the declaration of the vote.

True, it was an uncommon gambit – though the frustration might have stemmed from the truth that most media retailers didn’t really ask One Nation something about its marketing campaign previous to polling day, when it grew to become clear the Pauline Hanson-inspired get together was more likely to snare a seat.

It must also be famous that Labor veteran Russell Wortley – whose return within the eleventh and closing Legislative Council seat was additionally confirmed this week – equally declined to return calls earlier than his vote was confirmed, and continues to be but to take action.

Nonetheless, Sport’s ascension has set loads of tongues wagging on North Terrace – with the Greens significantly aggrieved concerning the Proper-wing get together’s SA rise.

And with good purpose – with a looming senate showdown in subsequent month’s federal ballot, a powerful displaying for One Nation may conceivably deny the Greens the possibility to win again the seat they misplaced in 2016.

That seat, as destiny would have it, belonged to Robert Simms – whose shift into state parliament was additionally reconfirmed at this week’s declaration.

Little shock them, maybe, that Simms appears to be taking Sport’s election significantly significantly.

In a missive to get together members on Wednesday, he briefly enthused concerning the Greens profitable a “file vote” within the state ballot, which “demonstrates that South Australians need actual motion on the local weather and inequality crises”.

“Sadly,” he went on, “the election additionally noticed One Nation safe a seat within the Higher Home for the primary time”.

“The Greens will stand as much as One Nation’s divisive, ugly type of politics within the new parliament,” he wrote.

“If the polls are to be believed, the Senate race is tightening and One Nation has an actual probability of snagging a seat in SA within the coming federal election too. We will’t let that occur.”

He then segued right into a rallying name for volunteers to “help our marketing campaign to lock One Nation out of the Senate and ship Barbara Pocock to Canberra”.

“Having a powerful presence on polling cubicles and at pre-poll will guarantee individuals vote Inexperienced and assist to maintain One Nation out,” he mentioned.

“Are you able to spare just a few hours to assist out at a polling sales space?”

He signed off with a thank-you and, in case the purpose was missed, a quick ‘PS’: “Are you able to assist us maintain One Nation out of the Senate?”

Sport’s mom Jennifer is, in fact, working for One Nation within the senate, so it appears doubtless there’ll be some tensions on the crossbench within the state higher home for the subsequent few years – and probably within the federal one as nicely.

Notes On Adelaide is an occasional column telling the within tales of Adelaide individuals, politics, establishments and points. If in case you have info that you just imagine must be famous on this column, ship us an e-mail: editorial@solsticemedia.com.au

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