The SA Politics Thread

[Vee]

Proposed bank levy.
M H-S, former state Liberal govt leader, now Independent but holding a Ministry position in the state Labor govt says...

SA budget 2017: State Government should desert big banks, Martin Hamilton-Smith says

The South Australian Government should move its billions of dollars in business away from the big five banks, one minister has suggested, as tensions over the proposed bank levy intensify.

The state's Liberal Opposition has decided to block a proposed state budget measure imposing a levy on five major banks.
It said reducing taxes was vital to the state's future prosperity.

Investment and Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith, who is a former leader of the state Liberals and now an independent MP on the Labor Government's frontbench, said the Government would be one of the Commonwealth Bank's biggest customers.

But he questioned whether that should continue, given the bank has been part of a fierce campaign against the South Australian Government's plan to impose the levy.

...

"If the big [five] banks have no confidence in South Australia, let's go to the Bendigo Adelaide Bank or one of the other options we have and let's move the billions of dollars of State Government business."

...
Rob Lucas says comments 'spiteful'

Although Mr Hamilton-Smith said he was speaking as an independent, Opposition spokesman Rob Lucas said he speaks with the authority of being a member of the Government, and has accused him of creating policy out of spite.

"This is the person responsible for speaking to businesses interstate and overseas and trying to attract them to South Australia," Mr Lucas said.

....
ABC News:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-05/s ... ys/8678720

[Vee]

They opposed the car park levy. They opposed land tax reform. They're now opposing the big bank levy. I guess I'm interested to hear how the Liberals plan to fund the public investments needed in this state, beyond bullshit claims of getting a better deal out of their capricious federal colleagues. Unless they're instead just planning a return to the do-nothing days of 90s, they have to have alternatives.

I was disappointed that the car park levy got canned.
The CBD car park levy was an opportunity missed. Most other cities have such a measure. Improving public transport and reducing traffic congestion is essential for a go ahead, smart city.

The need for, and huge investment required, to build a 'freight only airport' near Murray Bridge (and heavy rail bypass) is a concern. Will Marshall go ahead with it if the Liberals win the election?

There won't be much left in the pot for any other infrastructure. If he cans the bank levy, where will the alternative funding for public transport etc come from?

[claybro]

Probably more a discussion for the politics thread, and under a liberal state government the tram extensions would NEVER have happened. But, trams aside, you are holding the Olson government to standards probably not achievable at the time. On the Southern Expressway, NO SA government has ever, and would appear not likely to introduce tolls, so why single out the Olson government. Re the Red Hen rail cars, NO the rails cars could not have extended their life, as one train in particular had a near catastrophic failure resulting in a fire during peak hour on the northern line full of passengers.
ETSA in hindsight was a mistake, but one which most other states have repeated, and at the time, the states hands were forced federally.

[Llessur2002]

where will the alternative funding for public transport etc come from?

There will be no funding for public transport.

At best, I suspect a deal would be struck with the federal Libs to fund electrification of the rail network - if for no other reason that to show that they could achieve what Labor could not.

I strongly doubt that we would see any new tram lines during a Liberal government. I'm sure there will be roads, possibly some improvements to freight rail - but nothing else...

Where it would get interesting is if Labor got in at a federal level and re-stated their previous promise of funding the Adelaide tram network. I wonder whether the state Libs would accept the funding, or whether they'd reject it on an ideological basis and lobby for road funding instead?

[claybro]

Where it would get interesting is if Labor got in at a federal level and re-stated their previous promise of funding the Adelaide tram network. I wonder whether the state Libs would accept the funding, or whether they'd reject it on an ideological basis and lobby for road funding instead?

Didn't the Adelink light rail network proposal come under the federal Coalition government?

[Llessur2002]

Didn't the Adelink light rail network proposal come under the federal Coalition government?

Don't think so - it was part of the State Government's Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan back in 2013(ish).

Doesn't sound very Abbotty...

[claybro]

It wasn't proposed under Abbott. I thought it came to life once Turdball reallocated focus from roads and freight, to include urban transport projects. Adelink as a concept has not been around that long, I thought it was a State government thought bubble to attract some newly redirected federal funds in the current state term.

[Waewick]

They opposed the car park levy. They opposed land tax reform. They're now opposing the big bank levy. I guess I'm interested to hear how the Liberals plan to fund the public investments needed in this state, beyond bullshit claims of getting a better deal out of their capricious federal colleagues. Unless they're instead just planning a return to the do-nothing days of 90s, they have to have alternatives.

I was disappointed that the car park levy got canned.
The CBD car park levy was an opportunity missed. Most other cities have such a measure. Improving public transport and reducing traffic congestion is essential for a go ahead, smart city.

The need for, and huge investment required, to build a 'freight only airport' near Murray Bridge (and heavy rail bypass) is a concern. Will Marshall go ahead with it if the Liberals win the election?

There won't be much left in the pot for any other infrastructure. If he cans the bank levy, where will the alternative funding for public transport etc come from?

Yeah I'm not convinced about that bypass, I do assume they have got some sort of proffesional advice.

I would say, a focus into our regional area would and should be a quick win for either party, I can only assume Labor largley ignores the regional areas due to lack of votes but I really believe with some investment we could rebuild our regional communities and deliver some economic growth the state.

I don't believe it would be a silver bullet but it would be a start. agriculture is growing all over the country so why not get it moving here.

[Llessur2002]

Unless I'm completely mistaken it has always been a state government initiative and has been branded Adelink at least since it was included in the 2013 plan.

I think there was a bit of (in hindsight completely unwarranted) excitement when Trumbull took over the leadership that his personal fondness of trams might finally lead to an acceleration of network expansion with federal money but this has obviously not been the case.

Back at the last federal election, Labor announced they would begin building the network if they were elected - I hope that this is a promise they will repeat at the next federal election.

As far as I am aware, neither the state Libs or the federal Coalition has ever said anything which would lead me to believe they have any particular desire to see the expansion of the network in Adelaide.

Whilst progress might be slower than I would like under the state Labor government, at least there has been demonstrable progress - even if it does seem to coincide with election cycles. I would take that any day over the sure knowledge that there would be absolutely no action under the Libs.

[citywatcher]

Unfortunately the liberals have a track record for not wanting to spend money on infrastructure. They have opposed just about anything proposed. Whichever side of the argument you want to come down on it will probably mean under a Marshall govt we won't be getting the development we are see now.

Sent from my GT-S7275T using Tapatalk

[claybro]

A bit of Google research does show your recollection is correct. 2013 is the first I can find mention of Adelink. Progress however is indeed slow, and I think the current state government is probably doing the best it can to keep momentum with the bit by bit extensions. I really wish though the gov would come up with some hard and fast plans with Adelink and stick with it. ie definitive routes and timelines re realistic goals. Get the property development players on board even with some funding. Its all a bit vague in the public realm, and this means it is easy to dis by any opposition, as the voters aren't on board with it yet. In particular the mess regarding the OH line should be resolved once and for all, unless a new Liberal state government might be inclined to close the line down altogether particularly Grange.

[SBD]

Unfortunately the liberals have a track record for not wanting to spend money on infrastructure. They have opposed just about anything proposed. Whichever side of the argument you want to come down on it will probably mean under a Marshall govt we won't be getting the development we are see now.

Definitely off-topic for the trams thread, but Marshall has indicated infrastructure in the form of a new airport and railway/highway bypass of Adelaide on the eastern side of the ranges. While I can't see all of that happening in the next 20 years, I can imagine the Truro bypass ("extending the North-South motorway over the Mount Lofty Ranges") being an early phase of the project, since the Mallee rail closures mean more road freight entering Adelaide from that direction too. The project could also be a vote winner in the suburbs that it takes freight away from.

[Llessur2002]

Definitely off-topic for the trams thread, but Marshall has indicated infrastructure in the form of a new airport and railway/highway bypass of Adelaide on the eastern side of the ranges. While I can't see all of that happening in the next 20 years, I can imagine the Truro bypass ("extending the North-South motorway over the Mount Lofty Ranges") being an early phase of the project, since the Mallee rail closures mean more road freight entering Adelaide from that direction too. The project could also be a vote winner in the suburbs that it takes freight away from.

Granted, it's infrastructure - but it's an arguably completely unnecessary spend on infrastructure that primarily benefits business and property owners in Burnside and Unley who would prefer ghastly freight wasn't transported through their otherwise leafy backyards. Given the scale and cost of this proposal, many more people would benefit from the same amount of investment being poured into public transport and urban renewal - not freight-related infrastructure that even the freight industry has publicly denounced as being "seriously flawed" and "ill-judged".

I imagine for the same cost as this scheme we could probably see tram extensions to Prospect, Norwood and the airport - and probably a big chunk of the city loop too. I'm pretty sure the latter would provide a tangible benefit to thousands more people (and probably more businesses) than a freight motorway and airport.

[Norman]

The federal government won't sent any money for AdeLINK until the business case has been released. Hopefully that is in the next few weeks.

[Llessur2002]

The federal government won't sent any money for AdeLINK until the business case has been released. Hopefully that is in the next few weeks.

I suspect the feds would be unlikely to throw any money towards a very state Labor-driven tram project only a few months away from an election.

If the Libs win the election in March then regardless of the business case I doubt they’ll be bothered about chasing money for the tram network but instead ask their federal counterparts to direct the funds towards road projects instead (I'm sure they'd oblige).

However, providing a sound business case is presented to the feds then if Labor win the state election in March I suspect some money might be chucked our way for the city loop to be extended.

If the Libs win the state election in March then I doubt we’ll see any tram extensions until at least the next federal election, at which point federal Labor might chuck a bit of money our way for the city loop to meet an election promise - if we’re lucky.