A Big Day In Politics: Bracks Reshuffles Cabinet; Andrew Survives As Speaker; Stott Despoja Under Pressure; Refugee Issues Occupy Federal Government And Opposition; SA Election Counting Continues
February 11, 2002
Ahead of the resumption of Parliament tomorrow, politics returned with a vengeance today at the Federal and State levels. In the first of a number of developments, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Neil Andrew, survived a four-way contest in the government party-room, ensuring that he will be elected for a second term when Parliament meets tomorrow.
The Federal Cabinet decided to permit Mary Robinson, the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, to inspect detention centres housing refugees and asylum-seekers. Meanwhile, the Opposition ALP has been locked in a Caucus meeting to decide the party's ongoing stance on the issue that arguably cost it last year's election.
Counting in the South Australian election continued, with the ALP consolidating its lead in the seat of Norwood, but falling behind in the rural electorate of Stuart and the Adelaide electorate of Hartley. Whilst the ALP has an outside chance of forming a majority government, courting of the 4 independent members by both sides continues. The former Liberal minister, Bob Such, and the expelled Liberal, Peter Lewis, will be crucial to the formation of a minority government by either side. Lewis is demanding parliamentary reforms in return for his support.
In the aftermath of the South Australian election, the leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, has come under criticism from within and outside her party. Yesterday, John Howard characterised the criticisms as a victory of style of substance. Stott Despoja's response today was to announce the appointment of a committee to review the party's performance.
The Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, has reshuffled his Cabinet, demoting the Minister for Community Services, Christine Campbell, as well as the Industrial Relations Minister, Monica Gould, and Education Minister, Mary Delahunty. Campbell was at the centre of the recent controversy over chroming, Gould has been widely criticised in her portfolio and Delahunty, recently widowed, has been an Opposition target. The former ALP State Secretary, John Lenders, has been brought into the Cabinet.
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