BY BRONWEN BEECHEY
ADELAIDE — It says something about the nature of the South Australian election campaign that a highlight so far has been the Liberals' misspelling of Premier Rob Kerin's name (as "Ron") on the front cover of their primary industries policy.
The campaign has been entirely focused on personalities, not politics. The only "alternatives" being presented to voters are "decent, honest, country boy" Kerin and "smooth, experienced politician" Mike Rann.
In the electorate of Adelaide, virtually no electricity pole is without a glossy photo of either Labor candidate and former Adelaide mayor Jane Lomax-Smith or Liberal candidate and former deputy mayor Michael Harbison. Letter boxes overflow with pamphlets proclaiming Lomax-Smith's credibility as a local resident and wealthy businessman Harbison's promise of "You talk and I'll listen".
One feature of both parties' campaigns is the absence, so far, of any new policies. The Adelaide Advertiser complained on January 22, "Voters are enduring a recycled campaign eight days into the election" and pointed out that most of the policies "launched" during the campaign had been released over the past two years. These include Labor's "no privatisation" policy, in place since the sale of the Electricity Trust of SA in 1998, and the Liberals' plan to widen the powers of the "independent" electricity industry regulator to minimise price rises when SA householders enter the national electricity market.
The policies of Labor and Liberal are virtually interchangeable. Both parties claim to be committed to improving education and health, be opposed to the siting of an intermediate-level nuclear waste dump in SA (anywhere else in Australia is OK), and support "law and order" measures such as extra police and DNA testing of all prisoners. The Liberals have promised that there will be no new taxes and no further privatisation. Both parties claim to support measures to improve the health of the Murray River.
One major difference from last November's federal election campaign is that both parties are steering clear of the refugee issue, even though the Woomera detention centre is located in SA. The Liberals have attempted to distance themselves from their federal counterparts' policies and, during the recent hunger strike at Woomera, called for children to be released from detention. Labor has remained silent on the whole issue.
Judged only on their recent performance, the Liberals should lose the February 9 election. Their cornerstone policies — privatisation and cutting public spending — are deeply unpopular in an electorate facing higher electricity prices, job losses, and overcrowded schools and hospitals. The government has also been damaged by factional infighting and scandals over the Hindmarsh stadium and the Motorola deal, the latter resulting in the resignation of former premier John Olsen.
However, without Labor (or the Democrats) presenting a real alternative, the likely election result is still unclear. Many pundits are predicting that neither Liberal nor Labor will win a majority.
An unprecedented number of small parties and independents are contesting this election, especially for the Legislative Council. Many are right-wing, populist outfits appealing to many voters' cynicism about parliamentary politics. SA First, for example, is campaigning on the slogan "People before politics" and promises to reform parliament and cut politicians' perks. SA First was founded by former MLC Terry Cameron after he left the ALP over the ETSA privatisation issue, thereby enabling the sale to go through.
On January 16, Business SA launched a statement outlining its policies for the state. The blueprint deals with all aspects of economic development, government regulation, education and employment. It also proposes major changes to the political process, including voluntary voting, removing the power of the Legislative Council to block legislation, reducing the number of MPs and forcing MPs who quit their parties to immediately face a by-election.
Business SA also recommends limiting Adelaide City Council's role to providing municipal services by transferring responsibility for planning issues to a state "Minister for Adelaide", further measures to reduce state debt, and consumption-based pricing and full cost recovery for water and sewerage services.
One bright spot in the election is the Socialist Alliance, which is contesting the seat of Adelaide. The candidate is refugee-rights campaigner Tom Bertuleit. One of the few election voices speaking in defence of the Woomera protesters, the alliance is attempting to use the election campaign to strengthen the movement to end mandatory detention of asylum seekers.
The Socialist Alliance is also opposing the nuclear waste dump at Beverley, and privatisation.
From Green Left Weekly, February 6, 2002.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.