This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/16/tony-abbott-urges-sa-independents-not-to-voters-by-aligning-with-labor

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Tony Abbott urges SA independents not to 'cheat' voters by aligning with Labor Tony Abbott urges SA independents not to 'cheat' voters by aligning with Labor
(6 months later)
Tony Abbott warned independents in South Australia not to “cheat” voters by forming a government with Labor as Jay Weatherill credited the prime minister with helping the Labor party achieve a much stronger result than expected in the state’s election.Tony Abbott warned independents in South Australia not to “cheat” voters by forming a government with Labor as Jay Weatherill credited the prime minister with helping the Labor party achieve a much stronger result than expected in the state’s election.
Labor won 23 seats in Saturday’s election; the Liberal party took 22, both short of the 24-seat majority needed to take power. The final result might not be known until Tuesday.Labor won 23 seats in Saturday’s election; the Liberal party took 22, both short of the 24-seat majority needed to take power. The final result might not be known until Tuesday.
Independents Bob Such and Geoff Brock could help one of the parties form a minority government.Independents Bob Such and Geoff Brock could help one of the parties form a minority government.
On Sunday Abbott said that with 53% of the vote going to the Liberals, the independents should “respect the wishes” of voters.On Sunday Abbott said that with 53% of the vote going to the Liberals, the independents should “respect the wishes” of voters.
“[There’s] a very strong message that the people of South Australia want a change of government,’’ he told reporters in Sydney.“[There’s] a very strong message that the people of South Australia want a change of government,’’ he told reporters in Sydney.
“... I suspect the people of South Australia will feel cheated if having voted quite substantially for a change of government that’s not what they get.”“... I suspect the people of South Australia will feel cheated if having voted quite substantially for a change of government that’s not what they get.”
The Liberal party, led by Steven Marshall, had been expected to sweep to power. However, with hundreds of thousands of postal votes to be counted, Weatherill said the result was unlikely to be known before Tuesday.The Liberal party, led by Steven Marshall, had been expected to sweep to power. However, with hundreds of thousands of postal votes to be counted, Weatherill said the result was unlikely to be known before Tuesday.
Weatherill, the South Australian premier, said a range of factors, including the Labor party’s campaign against penalty rate cuts they say the federal Coalition is planning, contributed to the party’s strong result, but the prime minister’s visit to the state a few days before the election helped boost its vote.Weatherill, the South Australian premier, said a range of factors, including the Labor party’s campaign against penalty rate cuts they say the federal Coalition is planning, contributed to the party’s strong result, but the prime minister’s visit to the state a few days before the election helped boost its vote.
“I think it was very helpful for us,’’ said Weatherill. “We had been explaining that we wanted to stand up for South Australia and if necessary stand up to Tony Abbott, and what happened was he came along and in a fairly petty way held a news conference to announce a government project which ordinarily would have the premier and the opposition standing there during caretaker,” he said referring to the government announcement he was not invited to.“I think it was very helpful for us,’’ said Weatherill. “We had been explaining that we wanted to stand up for South Australia and if necessary stand up to Tony Abbott, and what happened was he came along and in a fairly petty way held a news conference to announce a government project which ordinarily would have the premier and the opposition standing there during caretaker,” he said referring to the government announcement he was not invited to.
“I don’t think that reflected upon him well and I think during the election campaign what emerged from the Productivity Commission was they were looking at a very substantial reform of our wages system which included cuts to penalty rates, so that was on people’s minds and then when Tony Abbott came to town it obviously reminded people of the federal dimension. So how do you weigh up these things and work out which thing made a contribution? It’s very difficult to weigh up but I’m sure it [Abbott visiting] was helpful for us.”“I don’t think that reflected upon him well and I think during the election campaign what emerged from the Productivity Commission was they were looking at a very substantial reform of our wages system which included cuts to penalty rates, so that was on people’s minds and then when Tony Abbott came to town it obviously reminded people of the federal dimension. So how do you weigh up these things and work out which thing made a contribution? It’s very difficult to weigh up but I’m sure it [Abbott visiting] was helpful for us.”
Brock is a former mayor who won the conservative-leaning seat of Frome in a 2009 byelection and Such is a disenchanted former member of the Liberal party.Brock is a former mayor who won the conservative-leaning seat of Frome in a 2009 byelection and Such is a disenchanted former member of the Liberal party.
Both have said they will not rush into a decision about who to support; it would depend on a range of factors.Both have said they will not rush into a decision about who to support; it would depend on a range of factors.
When asked if a prospective deal with the independents could include giving one of them a place in cabinet, Weatherill said he was not going to speculate on potential arrangements.When asked if a prospective deal with the independents could include giving one of them a place in cabinet, Weatherill said he was not going to speculate on potential arrangements.
He deflected a question about how much credit he took, personally, after being “front and centre” of the campaign.He deflected a question about how much credit he took, personally, after being “front and centre” of the campaign.
“What I do take credit for is putting public policy front and centre. This has been the thing I have wanted to do from the moment I actually assumed this role. The first thing I said to you all was I wanted it to be a debate about policy; I wanted to involve people in the decision that affects their lives. And that’s what this was all about – it was paying them the respect,” he said.“What I do take credit for is putting public policy front and centre. This has been the thing I have wanted to do from the moment I actually assumed this role. The first thing I said to you all was I wanted it to be a debate about policy; I wanted to involve people in the decision that affects their lives. And that’s what this was all about – it was paying them the respect,” he said.
Weatherill said he would “absolutely” stay in the parliament regardless of which party formed government.Weatherill said he would “absolutely” stay in the parliament regardless of which party formed government.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten said the weaker than expected result for the Liberal party was a message to the federal party. Opposition leader Bill Shorten said the weaker than expected result for the Liberal party was a message to the federal party.
“While many wrote off the chances of the Labor party in South Australia months ago, Jay has proven them wrong with a remarkable campaign fought on jobs, health and education,” he said in a statement on Sunday.“While many wrote off the chances of the Labor party in South Australia months ago, Jay has proven them wrong with a remarkable campaign fought on jobs, health and education,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
“While the final result in South Australia is not yet clear, the message is: South Australians don’t want to see even more jobs in their state sent overseas. South Australians don’t want a repeat of the Abbott government’s cuts to health and education.”“While the final result in South Australia is not yet clear, the message is: South Australians don’t want to see even more jobs in their state sent overseas. South Australians don’t want a repeat of the Abbott government’s cuts to health and education.”