Inside the deal Jay Weatherill made with Geoff Brock to form a minority government
WITHIN hours of the polls closing on election day, the two men vying to be the state’s next Premier were on the phone to the two men who could decide their fate.
WITHIN hours of the polls closing on election day, the two men vying to be the state’s next Premier were on the phone to the two men who could decide their fate.
It quickly became clear on election night that Labor leader Jay Weatherill and Liberal leader Steven Marshall were likely to need the support of independents Geoff Brock and Bob Such to claim government.
Before addressing the party faithful at their respective post-election functions, the leaders hit the phones to woo the looming kingmakers. Mr Brock candidly revealed he had 27 missed calls, including one from the Premier. He had a text from Mr Marshall.
In their podium speeches, both leaders made pitches directly to the independents about why theirs was the party to back.
More: Who is Geoff Brock?
They make an unlikely pair — the diminutive Mr Brock, who has less than two terms’ under his belt in the seat of Frome, and the experienced Dr Such, who has a colourful history with the Liberal Party and a long-held connection with the voters of Fisher.
They were joined at the hip early last week as they met together with Mr Weatherill the day after the election, at his office in Victoria Square’s State Administration Centre.
The meeting stretched on for more than an hour, as reporters waited impatiently out the front. A Labor insider said the Premier had prepared a “carefully crafted pitch but could hardly get a word out”.
“He was constantly interrupted by Suchie and Brock complaining about the Liberal Party,” the insider said.
It is understood Mr Weatherill presented Mr Brock with a list of government achievements in his electorate, and a more “modest” list for Dr Such’s seat. The insider said Mr Brock raised concerns about the cost of living and it was suggested he visit the SA Council of Social Service, which had released material praising Labor’s policies. On Monday, it was Mr Marshall’s turn to make his case.
Mr Brock arrived at the Liberal leader’s Parliament House office about 9.30am — late after being caught in traffic — and didn’t emerge for about 90 minutes. Dr Such was next for a similarly long, appointment.
Mr Marshall argued the Liberals best represented the regions. During the campaign he pledged $60 million for regional development.
He was tight-lipped about negotiations when asked. It is understood both parties put an offer of a Cabinet position to Mr Brock.
Negotiations continued during the week, although Dr Such withdrew from media.
He had not been heard from in days when it emerged on Saturday that he had fallen ill and been taken to hospital.
Mr Marshall was in phone contact with Mr Brock on Saturday but it was Mr Weatherill who made a dash to Port Pirie to meet with him.
It is believed that face time, and the uncertain circumstances around Dr Such’s health, brought Mr Brock to a decision.
Both sides say they did not formally lobby the independents before polling day.
Dr Such and the former independent MP for Mt Gambier, Don Pegler, complained the Liberals campaigned aggressively in their seats.
Mr Brock estimated the Liberals spent about $400,000 campaigning in his Mid-North electorate.
Others could argue the seeds of the Labor Party’s survival were sown years ago when a decision was made to embrace Dr Such, a former Liberal, and Mr Brock, a country MP from a strongly working-class background.
Between 2002 and 2006, the Labor Party had sealed a minority government deal with a far-less Labor leaning group of independents, including the notoriously maverick former Liberal Peter Lewis.
A senior ALP staffersaid the independents had equivalent access to ministerial offices as Labor backbenchers. When the time came to call in the debts, Labor Party insiders felt they were in the box seat.
Regions to bask in the spotlight
COUNTRY MP Geoff Brock has secured promises from the new Labor government on the state’s regions, small business sector and electoral reform.
In return for the independent MP’s support to form government, Premier Jay Weatherill said he put a “broad range of policy agendas” on the table.
Mr Weatherill would not discuss details or the costs of those promises.
However, he revealed that the pair had discussed the terms of reference of a review into improving compensation for Country Fire Service volunteers who contract cancer as a result of attending fires.
Mr Brock, the MP for Frome, will take a role in the Labor Cabinet, with responsibility for Regional Development and State and Local Government Relations.
Mr Weatherill said the appointment sent a signal that his government would pay more attention to regional SA.
“To those South Australians who have not felt represented by our government in the past, I commit myself to reaching out to you,” he said.
Mr Weatherill said the agreement reached with Mr Brock covered “particular issues of interest to (his) electorate”.
Last week, Mr Brock nominated the upgrade of the Nyrstar lead smelter at Port Pirie as top of his agenda in negotiations with both leaders of both major parties.
Last year, Labor granted major project status to a $350 million upgrade of the Nyrstar plant and committed $5 million to begin the clean-up of environmental dangers, mainly the lead dust emissions that put at risk the long-term health of the city’s children.
The Liberal Party supported the upgrade and leader Steven Marshall had said a Liberal government would work closely with the Federal Government on the project.
Mr Brock had also listed employment, health services and infrastructure as among his biggest concerns for his Mid-North electorate. During negotiations after the election, Mr Brock repeatedly emphasised that he was not using the talks to securegain “sweeteners” for his constituents.
He had lobbied for increases to the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme, which helps country residents who must travel more than 100km for medical appointments.
During the election campaign, Labor and the Liberals both promised an extra $2.5 million a year for the scheme.
He said he had used discussions with Mr Weatherill “to address a number of decisions affecting the broader South Australian community and sought commitment to address issues of concern to my own electorate”.
- Lauren Novak
Marshall keeps familiar faces
ON the day Jeff Kennett gave his post mortem on why the Liberals lost the state election, Steven Marshall has announced a virtually unchanged frontbench line-up.
Riches for regions under Brock deal
PREMIER Jay Weatherill has released details of his agreement with kingmaker independent Geoff Brock and pledged $39 million for regional development.