Thanks Graham for that outline.

Yes, the election certainly seems a done deal in S.A. Thank goodness for minor parties trying to put on the mantle of being Don Dunstan's successors. Apart from such silly season stuff, it would be even more boring than it is.

On the other hand, readers of my own pieces will know that I believe health is totally stuffed across Australia, including S.A. and that's there's lots of evidence to prove it. Where Rann has excelled in covering them up, Kerin has failed in highlighting those looming problems. Good oppositions need to do two things simultaneously. They need to say, look at these awful problems that this government is trying to hide. Then they need to say, look at how we are going to fix them up so you don't suffer. The simultaneity of being shocking and soothing is something that Kerin just can't manage.

Still, given the way Rann has managed the State since he got in courtesy of the best independent "Liberal" politician that money could buy, he probably quite deserves another stint.

Regards

Kevin

It's noteworthy how Rann is untroubled by the thorny issue of uranium. Since Olympic Dam is apparently the world's largest viable uranium deposit Croweaters seem happy to take the export income while at the same time frowning upon nuclear power. SA's other big resource issue is water supply. I can see the day coming when Adelaide may need nuclear power to desalinate sea water. In later years this kind of resource ambivalence will probably create a shift to the Greens. We might see some of this in Tasmania shortly.

There is also the possibilty of an 'accidental election', such as happened with Steve Bracks in Victoria- everyone was so convinced that everyone ELSE was voting for Jeff Kennett that they decided to 'protest vote' for Bracks- and he got in. Rann's probably got a bit to worry about with people going "hmm, don't want him to have too many seats, I'd better vote against".

Health is indeed stuffed in this country

the cost of Health has sky-rocketed over the last 20 years, it is really too expensive for the commonwealth and the states to pay for.

Anyone coming into the country automatically receives subsidised medicine and if you are of pension age, you would receive all your medicine for about $4. This is dispite them never paying any tax in Australia.

While I am not anti immigration this is a problem, people want to come to Australia to use our Health/age care system. Many of these rich migrants have never paid tax in Australia.

One solution is to Scrap Medicare and introduce a self funding health/age care system, with previous tax paid being allowed to be use to reduce health costs. I would like to see what happen to a political party who want to scrap medicare

Graham,
I respect your view, but am unable to agree with you on this occassion.

Someone on another thread said " the ordinary people no longer have a political party that represents them" which I agree with. The trouble with voting Rann back is simply encouragement not to change anything. I have voted Labor, Liberal and Green in the past, not because I believe in any of them, but because I believed at the time, I was voting for the lesser of two evils.

Personally I hope Rann get's the flick, because untill then the Labor Party will not examine itself to try to get back to their roots. I will continue to vote for the least of two evils, until I discover a party that repesents my fellow ordinary Australians.

Of course Rann will win Premier, but the other results are much less certain.

Rann won't suffer the fate of Kennett. There are significant differences, the main one being that Rann is well liked whereas Kennett created division.

Labor will also increase their representation in the Legislative Council, but at whose expense?

I am concerned about the veiled arrogance of Rann and his Cabinet. Having experienced their company first-hand, I feel sure that a scandal will erupt shortly after their re-election. My bet is that factional bully, Attorney-General Michael ("call me Mick") Atkinson won't make it to the 2010 election, and that there will be fallout.

This will create instability in the government, although a fresh-faced Liberal leader will struggle to capitalise on this.

Our democracy is stagnating, with governments being re-elected across the board. Minor parties are providing much-needed variety and colour.