Daniel Wills: Serious questions being asked of Jay Weatherill’s future over nuke dump plan

FOR the first time in Premier Jay Weatherill’s five years as Labor leader, serious questions are now being asked within the party about his political judgment. What do you think — VOTE NOW

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FOR the first time in Premier Jay Weatherill’s five years as Labor leader, serious questions are now being asked within the party about his political judgment.

Mr Weatherill’s dramatic move on Monday to continue pursuing the nuclear industry despite the public condemnation of the union movement and opposition from a citizens’ jury he established has set off a round of headshaking within the party.

Mr Weatherill has proved his critics wrong at almost every step throughout his career. Many doubted a leader of the Left could ever take over a party run by the Right.

Almost as many wrote him off ahead of the last election, saying there was almost no way the Liberals could lose. But recent polls have shown a slide in his personal support, and Labor’s vote, in the past year.

Monday’s distant referendum pledge, publicly branded by SA Unions secretary Joe Szakacs as a “crazy or brave” move from a “tone deaf” leader, has led mutterings to become louder.

Should Mr Weatherill continue to dig his heels in, some are discussing contingency plans. While he looks safe as leader, there is a strong push to roll the nuclear policy.

One plan includes gathering the numbers to call on a special state convention to formally change the party’s platform so it includes a collective repudiation of the nuclear storage industry.

Left sources are confident the faction, including MPs and ministers, would bind against Mr Weatherill on the convention floor.

Jay Weatherill has proved his critics wrong at almost every step throughout his career — can he prevail again?

Some say such an internal split or being rolled by the party would make Mr Weatherill’s leadership “untenable”, and the mere threat may force a backdown. Such a move could come before Christmas, or at a meeting already scheduled for next year.

Mr Weatherill on Monday said he had no plans for a special convention on the referendum, and the party’s existing platform had granted him “permission to continue this discussion”. There are many in the broader party, including financial backers, who don’t see it that way.

Much of the support Mr Weatherill has won on nuclear has come from Labor Right, which has a majority of the Caucus. People like Labor Whip Tom Kenyon have long backed nuclear and he remains a strong advocate.

Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis yesterday said: “(There’s) lots being said in the USA about the ‘silent majority’; I suspect there’s one here in SA in favour of a referendum.”

However, others feel that politics have now destroyed their hopes of nuclear success.

It was a bad look yesterday as several ministers effectively handballed nuclear questions to Mr Weatherill in the House, rather than stand to answer and rally around the boss.