Matters of Interest

Federal Budget

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:21): The federal Liberal Party plans to cut $5.5 billion from our state's hospitals and schools over the next decade. In health, this equates to 600 hospital beds or the closure of an entire hospital. And what have the state Liberals had to say about this? Next to nothing, Mr President—next to nothing.

Recently, in this very chamber, the Hon. Rob Lucas, seemingly proudly, pointed out that the state Liberals had written a letter. They took the huge and bold step of writing a letter. They went all out, all guns blazing and wrote themselves a little letter. Then the Hon. Rob Lucas told this chamber, with the straightest face he could manage, that the state Liberals had taken the drastic step of mildly criticising a couple of budget measures buried away in lengthy speeches to parliament.

While just about every other state Liberal leader has come out swinging, been extremely critical and has joined our state's Premier in a very public campaign against these unjust budget cuts, what have the Liberals done? Apparently, they wrote a letter. You can just imagine the conversation between the Liberal leader and his chief strategist, the Hon. Rob Lucas. 'Jeez, this federal budget is completely toxic. It's gonna be horrible for South Australia. It'll trash the Liberal brand. What should we do, Rob? Should we just tell the public to vote Labor again?' 'Well, dear leader, we need to continue our small target strategy. Let's not make a fuss. Let's not stand up for our state. Why don't we write ourselves a little letter? Just make sure Pyne doesn't find out about it, though.' 'Great advice, Rob. You're a genius, as always.' I guess you have to give the opposition some credit. They are still deeply, desperately and single-mindedly dedicated to their small target strategy.

A number of Liberals have suggested that Steven Marshall, the member for Dunstan, owes so much of his career to the federal member for Sturt, Chris Pyne, that he would not properly criticise the federal budget. Other Liberals have suggested that, with Chris Pyne's people controlling the internal review of the state campaign, many are afraid to criticise for fear of adverse findings. Or maybe the reason for the fear of the Pyne forces is the sudden influx of some 80 new members to the Waite branch of the Liberal Party, with similar influxes occurring in Davenport, Morphett and Heysen—but I will have a lot more to say about that in the near future.

The only real criticism we have heard from the state Liberals is from the member for Morphett—and to him I say, good on you. Well done for supporting the people of this state. Maybe the member for Morphett is the only one of those who remain within the Liberal Party who really wants to be a minister. The Hon. Rob Lucas has come in for his fair share of criticism for the last campaign. This would usually be unfair, and I would usually rush to the defence of the Hon. Rob Lucas, but if you are backgrounding journalists that you are the principal architect of the campaign, that you are the political nous, then I guess you have to wear it when it all goes pear shaped.

In an article in The Advertiser on 24 March, a journalist reflects the general tone of commentary. I quote in part, because it is worth quoting:

High-profile identities such as Rob Lucas, Iain Evans, Vickie Chapman and David Ridgway have been involved in all the Liberals' losing election campaigns.

It leads to the unavoidable conclusion that for the good of the party all should do the decent thing and quit before the next election to allow the party to bring in new faces, fresh ideas and a way to portray a level of optimism about the future.

The article goes on to say:

Take Rob Lucas. He was elected to the sedate surroundings of the Legislative Council on November 6, 1982. He has just been returned for another eight-year term in the Upper House, which will take him through to 2022. That’s 40 years...Mr Lucas, along with Mr Evans and Ms Chapman, have been key players in defining election strategies, choosing marginal seat candidates and even leaders of the party.

The article concludes:

You wonder how many consecutive election defeats you need before you realise that perhaps politics is not your strong suit.

One of them has done the right thing by his party and will eventually step down, but with the sort of irony that only the SA Liberals can muster, the other two named at the end of this article have been promoted—with irony that only the state Liberals can muster.

On behalf of all the Labor members of parliament, rank and file members of the Labor Party, and all Labor supporters and voters, I say to the Hon. Rob Lucas: ignore them all. Ignore the constant calls from the media and the advice of your own colleagues, and you stay at the forefront of shaping Liberal Party policy. Do not resign, do not look for greener pastures, do not dream of enjoying the good life with your ponies. Now well into his fourth decade in this chamber, I am sure the Hon. Rob Lucas's best days lie ahead of him. Just because you have helped engineer four election losses in a row does not mean you will not be fifth time lucky. Just stick with it; do not be deterred. Just keep on smirking while you lose. Far be it from me to give advice, but I say to the South Australian parliamentary Liberal Party: hold your nerve, stick with the small target strategy and, above all, stick with the Hon. Rob Lucas.