SA Libs defend media ban as polls plummet
A ban on media coverage of much of the weekend’s state Liberal AGM has drawn a stinging critique from the Weatherill Government.
After a week in which the Premier’s proposal for “Reforming Democracy”, a bid to make public policy formulation more transparent and inclusive, was derided by the Opposition as “fluff and nonsense”, the Liberals held their annual conference on Saturday with all but the set-piece leaders’ speeches closed to media scrutiny.
An alert for the Saturday morning event was distributed on Friday afternoon, advising that Opposition Leader Steven Marshall and Prime Minister Tony Abbott would address the event in quick succession from 8.45am.
“Media must be seated inside the venue by 8.30am and will be asked to leave at the conclusion of the Prime Minister’s speech,” the alert instructed.
Acting Premier John Rau was unimpressed, telling InDaily: “Their constant whingeing about transparency of government would have some credibility if they were prepared to walk the walk themselves.”
The blackout also drew barbs on social media, with the state ALP’s Twitter account asking “What is Steven Marshall trying to hide?”
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Marshall wouldn’t comment on the AGM arrangements, with his office arguing it was a matter for the party.
But outgoing Liberal president Robert Lawson said he would be open to considering a change.
“It has always been the process,” he said.
“I’d be open to change, but would want to understand the implications before agreeing to it.”
Media were ushered out of the meeting, held at the Ellington on Hackney Road, before a series of secret ballots were held to elect a new executive team, with Steve Murray taking over as party president.
Prominent lawyer and InDaily columnist Morry Bailes was elected as a vice-president, as were former state election candidates Carolyn Habib and Bernadette Abraham and Riverland stalwart Henry Crawford.
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Lawson suggested had reporters been allowed to stay for the secret ballots, “they would have been noisily leaving after about 10 minutes”.
“I don’t know about a media ‘blackout’ … it was in accordance with the process of every AGM I’ve ever attended,” he said.
“After the Prime Minister’s address, we then ask the media to leave (before the ballots).”
The ALP’s state convention will be held on October 24. State secretary Reggie Martin told InDaily media could stay for the duration: “The Labor Party conducts its conventions in the full light of day, open to media scrutiny,” he said.
“We’ve got nothing to hide.”
In 2006, Labor changed its rules to allow journalists who were not union members to cover its annual conference, after then-PM John Howard embarrassed Kim Beazley when the former Opposition Leader was forced to hold a doorstop press conference in a carpark outside the SA event.
The Liberal AGM preceded today’s Fairfax-Ipsos poll, which suggests a devastating decline in support for the federal party and its brand in SA.
Bill Shorten’s Labor Opposition now leads the Abbott Government by 58 points to 42 (two-party preferred) in South Australia, a figure that will send shockwaves throughout the party, even allowing for the poll’s significant margin of error.
Last year, state Labor was returned despite trailing 53 to 47 in the two-party vote.
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