Saturday, 25th March, 2006

When South Australian Labor Leader Mike Rann invited a National Party member and an independent in to his Cabinet four years ago it seemed nothing more than pragmatism. Mr Rann had to secure their votes to secure himself as Premier. For Labor MPs, some jobs for the boys and girls were better than none and the past rejection of the very idea of being part of a coalition government, let alone one with the Nationalis in it, vanished. Admittedly the Premier made things easier for his Party to accept by not attempting to create a formal coalition document. In return for guaranteeing supply, the National and the Independent were allowed to reserve their right to vote against other pieces of proposed legislation.

That this unusual structure worked was seen in the four years leading up to this month's SA election. The Rann Government was returned with the Labor Party gaining more seats and with the National and the Independent comfortably holding seats that the Liberal Party traditionally sees as its own.

This time around Premier Rann does not need the support of Karlene Maywald (NP) and Rory McEwen (Ind) to get the numbers in the House of Assembly. He has kept them in his Cabinet to honour his promise to do so and because they proved to be reliable and competent ministers. Ms Maywald is now Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister Assisting in Industry and Trade. Mr McEwen is Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests.

The new Rann Cabinet

Mike Rann
Not just Australia's
most popular state Premier:
the most innovative as well.