Speirs joins SA leaders on making call on new look Liberals
Former Liberal Leader David Speirs and the state’s peak medical bodies make a call on the party’s new chief installed yesterday.
Former Liberal Leader David Speirs told InDaily Ashton Hurn’s elevation to lead the party was a good opportunity for a “reset” ahead of the state election next year.
“While I don’t think she needs an old has-been leader providing commentary from the sidelines I think it’s a great opportunity for the party to reset and move towards the election,” Speirs said.
“I’d like to see the party be competitive and participate effectively in the lead up to the election because I think that’s good for democracy.
“My experience is that Ashton will listen, build relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders, and that was my experience when I was leader.”
Hurn was appointed Shadow Health Minister by Speirs in 2022. Speirs resigned from parliament in October 2024 after facing charges.
She also has previously worked for former Liberal Premier Steven Marshall along with former federal Defence Minister Christopher Pyne and current federal Liberal Health spokesperson Anne Ruston.
Yesterday, the SA party voted her in to the top job after Vincent Tarzia relinquished the role on Friday.
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Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) SA Branch hoped the former shadow health minister would prioritise the health portfolio as she worked out her new leadership team this week.
“We’ve had an excellent relationship with Ashton Hurn,” RACGP SA Chair Dr Siân Goodson told InDaily.
“While state health portfolios often focus on hospital systems, ensuring communities have strong access to general practice is the most effective and efficient way to take strain off state government-administered hospitals. She’s shown she recognises this.
“We’ve had a very positive and constructive working relationship through her time as Shadow Minister for Health, especially for the key health priorities we took to Parliament.”
Hurn confirmed the previous policy announcements made under Vincent Tarzia’s leadership would stand, including a $40,000 incentive payment for overseas-trained GPs who moved to SA for work.
The incentive payment was part of an $11 million International Medical Graduate package proposed by RACGP earlier this year, and adopted by the Liberal Party as an election promise in late November.
Goodson said the Liberal Party adopted the GP organisation’s proposal “pretty much as we set it out”.
This morning, Hurn said the March election “will be a choice between a better health system for staff and patients versus record ramping and overcrowded hospitals”.
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“Our team is focused on holding the government to account for their failure to fix ramping like they promised.”
The long-tipped future leader took the top job on Monday as recent polling shows a landslide result in favour of Labor with 103 days to go before South Australians vote.
Hurn is the fourth Leader of the Liberal Party since the last election, including Steven Marshall and David Speirs, who resigned after facing charges.
The Australian Medical Association in South Australia (AMA SA) stressed health must be a defining issue at the upcoming state election.
“This year’s record ramping highlights deeper challenges within the health system – a point acknowledged by both Ms Hurn and Minister Picton,” AMA SA President Associate Professor Peter Subramaniam told InDaily.
“Since the 2022 election, my predecessors and I have met regularly both Ms Hurn and Health Minister Chris Picton. Both leaders have shown themselves to be informed, curious and caring about the future of this state.”
“AMA SA has begun announcing practical, evidence-based recommendations to reduce preventable hospital admissions by strengthening care in the community. These include incentives for GPs to provide after-hours services and care in aged care facilities.”
Beyond her former portfolio, Property Council Executive Director Bruce Djite said the Property Council while he looked forward to meeting Hurn, the council had not been impressed to date with the opposition’s position on housing.
“The industry would like to see the opposition take an ambitious pro-growth policy stance, especially on the CBD, industrial land supply, housing, investment attraction and population growth,” Djite said.
“To date we have been very disappointed to see anti-housing and anti-density campaigning from opposition MPs and candidates, in the midst of a housing crisis this runs contrary to resolving affordability challenges so many South Australians face, and risks exacerbating intergenerational inequality.”
SA Business Chamber CEO Andrew Kay said he was keen to share our Pre-Election Charter 26 with the new Leader.
“The Charter contains a range of policy initiatives addressing Productivity and Economic Growth, Future Workforce and State Tax reform. It would make sense to consider these calls from the business community, given her limited timeframe to build a policy agenda,” he said.
