Comment

Is it that the government representation is so strong and the opposition so comparatively weak that our Federal government doesn't see the need to bother about South Australia?

It does seem VERY strange that there is an insistence that SA should bear the burden of the national nuclear waste dump - what ARE our SA government representatives thinking of? Minchin's arrogant and coercive attitude is especially reprehensible.

The situation of Mitsubishi escaped notice until a federal election loomed - how and why? By the way, the imminent so-called Free Trade agreement (FAIR trade is another matter entirely) has an influence on vehicle decision-making. Our carmakers will likely be driven out of business by cheap US imports. Similarly, dealers selling those cheap Korean cars might vanish - GM has already ditched Daewoo.

That FTA will hit SA's already struggling manufacturing sector very hard indeed. It won't help our winemakers as much as some think, either. There is more on the dreadful consequences of the US/Australia Free Trade Agreement here

Are all our SA politicians ignorant of these matters? Why are they supporting this folly?

The Murray upon which so much of SA depends remains in crisis due in no small measure to the total and cruelly greedy absurdity of people farming water-hogging crops like cotton and rice using irrigation water. You did know that the Darling River actually flows BACKWARDS now, didn't you? Oh, I forgot! Sorry - our Federal government representatives don't care - there are more votes in Queensland, NSW and Victoria. Of course, there has been a kind announcement nearer the election - that's nice. Unfortunately, the latest COAG water agreement (much fanfare!) actually ENTRENCHES excessive irrigation water demands by Eastern State farmers. It's no good promising to be super-efficient in water usage if you continue to take more water out of a river than it can possibly sustain!

On energy, there is a similar short-sighted silliness masquerading as progress. The recently- announced (again much fanfare!) policy ENTRENCHES the use of fossil fuels - for example it actually SUBSIDISES DIESEL USE BY FARMERS so that diesel generators remain a cheap option compared to solar or windmill power.. So SA's small but growing renewable energy industry is set back again. Thanks, to all those Federal politicians purporting to represent SA.

Among wonderful long-term promised commitments that the present government will not be involved in implementing is the Auslink road funding plan. Notwithstanding SA's huge lengths of nationally important roads which is out of all proportion to the funds available from our modest population, SA misses out AGAIN. Almost all the money is allocated to the eastern States. The RAA recently pointed out that SA has 8% of Australia's population and 15% of Australia's roads, but receives only 3% of federal road funding,. Why are our SA representatives so silent and ineffective on this matter?

By no means least of the vote purchasing programmes being implemented as the Federal Election nears is the handing of $600 cash for each child. In addition there is $3000 available for a successful pregnancy - what a wonderful temptation for a young unemployed girl wanting to leave home. You might say these cash pay-outs are a national rather than a State matter. However we should not forget that in many ways South Australia is a "Cinderella" State lacking the population of a NSW or the huge resources of a WA. Those silly un-means-tested gratuitous handouts could translate into much-needed playschools, kindergartens and preschools which our State finds difficult to finance. But of course, when you are intent just on buying votes and don't care about State infrastructure ... Once again, one wonders how our powerfully-placed SA politicians so readily forget their State's needs.

The opposition representatives total 7, only one of whom has any official post. Clearly they are not in a strong position to be very effective.

The other two representatives follow their own agendas.

Please also see our "Comment" below the listing.