AD-Lib Election 2018 Edition

AD-Lib Th e S o u t h A u s t r a l i a n Yo u n g L i b e r a l M o v e m e n t M a g a z i n e ELECTION 2018 SPECIAL EDITION

AD-Lib

Disclaimer The opinions expressed herein belong solely to the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or the South Australian Young Liberal Movement.

Contributions to this edition of AD-Lib are from members and friends of the SAYLM. To contribute to the next issue of AD-Lib or to contact the Editor, email adlib@sayoungliberals.com.

Authorised by Ms. Jocelyn Sutcliffe, President, SAYLM. 104 Greenhill Road, Unley, 5061.

Contents From the Editor 3 From the President 4 2018 Election Victory 5 Campaigning as a first-timer in Elder - Andrew Pfeiffer

12

Keeping up with Dan in Kavel - Nik Baric 18

Q&A with new MPs 20 Q&A with Richard Harvey 21 Q&A with Fraser Ellis 22 Q&A with Carolyn Habib 24 Q&A with Matt Cowdrey 26 Q&A with Nick McBride 27

2

AD-Lib

From the Editor

W

ell, here we are after 16 years - victors and the party of Government in South Australia.

March 17 will go down in history as an amazing moment and achievement for the Liberal Party in this state. The team, galvanised together, focused on one goal, delivered what can only be described as a magnificent result.

Not only were we able to win government in our own right, we were about to crush the advancing Xenophon threat, ensuring his election spoils were limited to two spots in the Legislative Council.

There is no doubt that the work that everyone put in to win was incredible. Thousands upon thousands of hours were committed across the state to ensure we would come out of the election as winners and the disastrous Labor government would finally be thrown out of office.

This edition of AD-Lib is a special edition dedicated to the campaign and the efforts so many people put in.

On page five you can see an array of images from the campaign trail - the days leading up to and those taken on election day at seats the length and breadth of South Australia.

We’ve also got campaign reports from some that were out on the ground in seats like Kavel and Elder. You can see that from page 12.

And what a new crop of talented representatives we have now that the dust has settled on the election results! This edition features a number of Q&As with some of our new members of Parliament. This version has comments from Richard Harvey, the Member for Newland, Fraser Ellis, Member for Narungga, Carolyn Habib, Member for Elder, Matt Cowdrey,

Member for Colton and Nick McBride, Member for Mackillop. Future editions will have Q&As with the other members that were elected for the first time on March 17.

Thanks for picking up this very special edition of AD-Lib magazine. It’s not every day you get to compile a magazine about an event that has happened for the first time in 16 years.

Huge congratulations to everyone who helped out and brought about this magnificent result.

The people of South Australia were crying out for a change and they certainly delivered it.

Under Steven Marshall, the new Liberal Government will paint a new, positive future for South Australia.

A new dawn has indeed begun.

If you’re interested in contributing to the next edition of AD-Lib, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. There’s always room for more articles.

Cheers, Rowan Thomas SAYLM Communications Director

3

AD-Lib

From the President

T

here has never been a more exciting time to write the President’s Report for the South Australian Young Liberal publication, Ad-Lib! After 16 years of Labor Government, stagnated economic growth and a youth brain drain, the Liberals have secured majority government in South Australia!

In the lead up to the Election, Young Liberals phone canvassed at HQ on a regular basis and even from the comfort of our own loungerooms as a result of the Party’s investment in the i360 App! We doorknocked and letterboxed in 40-degree heat, attended candidate forums, took an active role on local campaign committees, distributed corflutes and volunteered at fundraisers for months on end. On Election Day, Young Liberals outnumbered volunteers on a vast number of booths across the state which was a testament to our dedication and hunger to secure a bright future for South Australia – a state where we now want to stay!

The campaign was modern and targeted and our branch was able to easily adapt to the contemporary approach constructed by the Campaign Committee. The Young Liberals arranged regular campaign days on weekends, working closely with candidates and campaign committees, and we provided regular email updates to our broad membership to advise them how they could best get involved with campaign activities. And at the end of a long day on the campaign trail, we would often reconvene for a well-deserved alcoholic beverage (or two) at a local pub within the electorate we had been campaigning in, still donning our sweaty campaign t-shirts!

It was a hard fought campaign but a worthwhile and rewarding one - the Young Liberals were a critical cog in the wheel of our Party’s success on 17 March 2018. From the electorates of Hartley and Dunstan to Waite, Elder, Davenport and Kavel, the Young Liberals led the on-ground campaign charge and made a strong contribution to the Government’s success. Every member who volunteered their time can and should be proud of their efforts on an individual level and as a collective Movement.

4

Whilst the campaign efforts of local Young Liberals was fantastic, so too were the efforts of those who made the journey from interstate.

Many paid their own way to come to SA and volunteer in the weeks leading up to the Election, and even on Election Day. In addition to this, the Young Liberal Movement of Australia supplemented our campaign efforts through the EDO Programme which saw some 10 people travel to SA and volunteer in a broad-ranging number of electorates. It is a testament to our Party that the youth wing is so actively engaged in campaign and policy efforts. Traditionally, the Young Liberals are the ones to do the heavy lifting during a campaign and the South Australian Election was no exception.

On behalf of the Young Liberals, congratulations to Premier Steven Marshall and the entire Parliamentary team of the Liberal Party on their elections and re-elections to office. A particular congratulations to former Young Liberal Presidents Dan Cregan MP on his election as the Member for Kavel, Sam Duluk MP on his election as the Member for Waite and the Hon. Stephan Knoll MP, the Hon. Michelle Lensink MLC and the Hon. John Gardner MP on their Ministerial appointments. Congratulations is also extended to the Member for Narungga, Fraser Ellis MP, a fellow Young Liberal. The success of these MP’s yet again solidifies the strength of the Young Liberal Movement in developing the next generation of our Party’s leaders.

Kind regards Jocelyn Sutcliffe SAYLM President

AD-Lib

After 16 years

the Libs are in Government!

17 March 2018

5

AD-Lib

O

ver the course of the 2018 Election Campaign, Young Liberals from across the State have put in thousands of hours volunteering on local campaigns. Whether it’s letterboxing, phone canvassing, doorknocking, helping out at

6

AD-Lib

77

AD-Lib

8

AD-Lib

9

AD-Lib

17 March 2018 - The Hackney Hotel

South Australia is now under

Marshall Law After 16 long years, South Australia has a Liberal Government

10

AD-Lib

F

BANKRUPTS & FAILURE

rom Footy to business, Australians can’t stand failure. We are ashamed of it. When our team performs badly we stop going to their matches, when a business goes into liquidation we look at their Directors and pity their poor souls because we know they are destined to carry the Henry Davisofwants our pollies to be heavy label “BANKRUPT” tattooed intoable theirto fail and to ditch participation awards.

Onlyand andestined “Innovation Culture” steer Australia in the right direction. forehead to sign off everywill email with “Kind Regards, THE GUY THAT WENT BANKRUPT”.

Henry Davis is a member of the SAYLM

11

AD-Lib

12

AD-Lib

13

AD-Lib

Campaign diary from a first-timer Data scientist Andrew Pfeiffer explains why he joined the Liberal Party, his experiences as a first-time campaigner and why other young people should join the campaign to keep South Australia Liberal.

I

joined the Liberal Party at the start of this year. Why on earth would a guy in his late twenties who hated university politics with a passion want to get involved now? (Yes, during student elections I put my headphones in with no sound coming through them so I could pretend that I didn’t hear people in student politics try to ambush me how-to-vote cards.) I’ve divided up this article into three parts: how I found myself interested in politics, why I joined the Liberal Party, and what I enjoyed about the state election campaign as a newbie.

I first considered joining the Liberal Party two years ago, soon after starting the Graduate Program with the federal public service (disclaimer: all views expressed here are entirely my own), because the program helped me to recognise the importance of Parliament in creating laws that govern our country. As a data scientist, I had given the importance of politics little thought until I started working for the government. And while a secondment to the Parliamentary Budget Office in Canberra last year put my plans to join on ice - I thought it unwise to be a member of a political party while working as a departmental staff member in Parliament House - working at Parliament House in Canberra only stoked my fire for politics even more. Being in contact with Parliamentarians’ offices, hearing the infamous bells ring during sitting weeks, going to Question Time during my lunch breaks, and seeing wellknown Parliamentarians in the hallways - and at Aussies for a morning coffee, of course - was incredibly addictive! Seeing how the big Parliamentary machine works behind the scenes made joining a political party inevitable, and

14

the spectre of a 20-year-old Labor Government made action urgent.

So why the Liberal Party? They align most closely with my values. Values can be strange beasts. Sometimes, big corporates will provide the interested reader with a set of values that is so broad that they are utterly meaningless.

After all, values should be the embodiment of an entity’s identity and purpose, and as the adage says, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” However, other entities can confuse values for vision or goals. This confusion is understandable because values are the principles from which vision and goals flow.

However, when I re-read the Liberal Party’s values on their website (https://www.liberal.org. au/our-beliefs), it is clear how our values embody our identity of “individual freedom and free enterprise,” but our values do not set in stone the vision and goals for achieving them.

And this is an incredible strength of the party because differing views on how to make our united values a reality should make our views stronger. Poorly thought-out views will fall away, and well thought-out views will be refined and strengthened. As former Prime Minister John Howard described in a 2005 speech, the Liberal Party: is a broad church and we should never as members of the Liberal Party of Australia lose sight of the fact that we are the trustees of two great political traditions. We are, of course, the custodian of the classical liberal tradition within our society [and we] are also the custodians of the conservative tradition in our community.

AD-Lib

And if you look at the history of the Liberal Party it is at its best when it balances and blends those two traditions.

Only in the presence of “those most basic freedoms of parliamentary democracy - the freedom of thought, worship, speech and association” can we produce the best laws and policies for our nation. As my Master’s supervisor advised me, “write like crap and edit well,” and our belief in fundamental freedoms nurtures a party where we can apply the same truth to policy. By contrast, the Labor Party imposes “binding votes” on particular issues, whereby crossing the floor leads to dismissal from the party. Of course, we should call out rubbish policy for what it is, but we should shoot the message rather than the messenger. Stifling the debate altogether can only lead to weaker policy.

Our belief in fundamental freedoms makes sense because it produces strong policy. We see this play out in every different policy area.

For example, from our website, we believe “in equal opportunity for all Australians.” By contrast, Labor and the Greens believe in equal outcomes for all Australians. This leaning to-

wards communism is foolish because it puts “limits on people through the punishing disincentives of burdensome taxes.” Why on earth would anyone seek to earn more money if they will end up paying most of it back to the government in taxes? Of course, the government must provide services to people, and we have a responsibility to help people who find themselves in difficult circumstances through no fault of their own. But as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said, “the best form of social welfare is a job.” Meaningful employment is so valuable for people because it gives them a sense of meaning and purpose, in addition to the obvious benefit that they can earn a living without reliance on the government. Consequently, it makes sense that we should have a lean government that requires minimal taxes to run these services effectively so that we can reward those who make the most of their opportunities! And it makes sense to support private enterprise so that more and more people can earn their living.

Consequently, it made perfect sense for me to join the Liberal party and help overthrow a 16-year-old Labor Government that has overseen a reduction in our representation in the

15

AD-Lib House of Representatives and has idly watched our best talent move east after finishing university. And as soon as I joined the party, I was amazed by the well-oiled campaign machine that was in full swing. Some experienced campaigners recommended that I join the Elder campaign, because it was a must-win marginal seat, and three strengths of the Elder campaign stand out.

First, the volunteer management. A huge thank you to Rowan Thomas, the Campaign Director for Elder, for getting me involved.

Volunteer management is a fine line because volunteers that commit to letterboxing hundreds of flyers and then don’t rock up would be extremely infuriating, but volunteers aren’t getting paid for their work, and so there is a limit to the extent to which you can reprimand them. Nonetheless, Rowan was excellent in managing us. He reminded us about every Saturday afternoon doorknocking blitz and encouraged us to help out, with more and more urgency as the election drew closer. He was understanding if we were unwell, although he was rightfully annoyed when lots of people pulled out of the blitz two or three weeks before the election, given that it was unlikely they were all too sick to help out at such a critical time in the campaign. And when I decided to jump as far outside my comfort zone as I possibly could and go doorknocking, he paired me up with some experienced campaigners, including himself and the Hon David Ridgway MLC. I learned so much from doorknocking with them, and I look forward to learning more during the next campaign! For those of you who haven’t been out doorknocking or on the phones canvassing, I highly encourage you to give it a crack during the next campaign. Sure, kicking out the boundaries of your comfort zone in this way is initially terrifying. But before you know it, your comfort zone will have grown to include such activities. Of course, throwing oneself into doorknocking and phone canvassing was much easier because the guy in charge of the Elder campaign is a good bloke, so thank you, Rowan!

In addition to the excellent volunteer management, campaigning was made infinitely more fun by the camaraderie. Whether you’re employed by the party and campaigning is part of your job, or you work full-time and you’re squeezing in campaigning in the evenings

16

and on the weekends, it’s hard work. Mind you, grassroots politics as a whole is hard work, so the fact that campaigning is hard work should be no surprise. Nonetheless, when you’re doing hard work for an excellent cause, the opportunity to do it with other people who share the same cause is incredibly valuable. For example, at one Elder campaign event, I remember someone telling a friend that he wanted to help campaign for a friend that was running as a candidate in an unwinnable seat. However, the friend rightly rebuked him, pointing out that Elder was a must-win marginal seat.

When we are exhausted from hard work, it’s easy to be motivated by emotion or comfort, but when we have good comrades in this war against the Labor party, they can put us back on the straight and narrow. This camaraderie became critical as the election drew closer, as our collective sleep debt grew, as we became more and more exhausted, as the temptation became stronger to skip a doorknocking blitz or letterbox run under the pretence that we were unwell. Even though we probably were run-down, being able to push each on to make it to the finish line - a glorious state election party at the Hackney - was so valuable.

As a data scientist, I was also incredibly impressed by the data-driven nature of the election campaign, and I am confident that this factor played a huge role in making our night at the Hackney one of joy rather than tears.

Using i360 to target people - through both doorknocking and phone canvassing - that are likely swing voters or voters we don’t have information about - was incredible because we didn’t have the resources to doorknock or call everyone. I was also impressed by the way that candidates themselves were tracked to ensure that they were getting out on the ground and doorknocking constituents. After all, as a party, we don’t want to preselect a candidate again if they didn’t win their seat and the data demonstrates that they weren’t working hard to win over constituents. Even though some may regard this as an invasion of privacy, I wouldn’t expect anything less, because the party has to come before any individual. On a broader note, I thought the party did an excellent job at managing the balancing act that comes with focusing as much energy as possible on the marginal seats, and still providing candidates in unwinnable seats with basic resources for campaigning. These candidates are in a

AD-Lib challenging position because the party needs to pour resources into marginal seats that will decide the election at their expense. However, providing them with basic resources - such as a small number of corflutes - is important, to ensure that the party can maintain its minority of voters and push for a series of swings in future elections that may cause the seat to become marginal over time.

Adelaide an attractive city to live and work in, and keep serving the Liberal Party. Now to find out what doing that looks like, when we’re in government!

Andrew Pfeiffer is a new Member of the South Australian Young Liberal Movement

I look forward to seeing how we could use more advanced analytics to increase our effectiveness in election campaigns even more. But for now, let’s reap the benefits of our targeted campaign, enact some good policy, make

17

AD-Lib

KAVEL: You can’t keep a good Dan down Nothing would stop former Young Liberal President Dan Cregan and his team in Kavel, as our own Nik Baric found out very quickly during the campaign

A

fter an arduous twelve months, countless pairs of shoes, and an improved beep test score, the Hills seat of Kavel is still proudly blue.

The newly minted Member for Kavel is one of our own – former Young Liberal President, Dan Cregan. Now MP. It is true that Sportsbet had tipped Cregan to win from very early on in the piece but anyone who spent a couple of minutes with the Candidate for Kavel, would have struggled to believe it.

Every day up in the Hills was a sixteen-hour day, all seven days of the week. No exceptions, no ifs, and certainly no buts.

From the day the writs were issued, Saturday mornings became synonymous with ‘corfluting’ – as it is known by those in the business.

It wasn’t long before nearly each and every light pole in the electorate bore our Liberal insignia. Refusing to rest after one or two corflutes lined a street, we made sure that there was absolutely no possibility of anyone, including those at the International Space Station, would miss one of our posters. It was not un-

18

common for six, even seven to follow one after the other as you passed by.

Give it only a couple of weeks, and after enough corflutes, even the least athletically inclined among us become world-ranking gymnasts. Perhaps the Australian Olympic team ought to incorporate hanging off of a creaky, old ladder, partly balanced on a stick and roadside gutter, with a mouth filled with zip-ties into their training regime?

What’s more, when you campaigned Kavel you didn’t do it alone. We became known to blitz the entire geographic region to ensure that our message was conveyed thoroughly to voters. One of the major campaign promises was to fix the dangerous Nairne intersection. An undertaking which obviously resonated well with the priorities of voters – since the last polling undertaken in Nairne in 2016, the Liberal vote increased by an overwhelming 22% of the two-party preferred vote.

In addition to the actual election result, the 2018 state campaign will go down in history as the only time that a former Young Liberal President, CAS Hawker Scholar, and local lawyer donned a bright, red, two-piece suit decorated with snowmen and various festive ornaments

AD-Lib

in the Mount Barker and Woodside Christmas Pageants. Needless to say, it was marvellous fun.

Cregan officially became the Member for Kavel on a margin of 65% of the total vote, on a two-party preferred basis.

Despite our sadness in the retirement of the iconic red, Bedford truck, the South Australian Young Liberal Movement should be extremely proud of the role that it played in helping

Nik Baric is the Policy Vice-President of the SAYLM

19

AD-Lib

Q & A with the new members This is the first part of our Q&A with the new members of the South Australian parliament

20

Richard Harvey

AD-Lib

Newland

What inspired you to enter Parliament?

My children. As a father of three young children I want to make sure that my children, and all South Australian children, have as many opportunities available to them in South Australia.

If there was one new law you could introduce to improve South Australia, what would it be?

The deregulation of shop trading hours. Providing choice to South Australian shoppers and businesses, as well as increasing employment opportunities, is a more productive action from the government rather than dictating what, when, and where consumers can shop.

What is one bad South Australian law that you would like to see repealed?

The disastrous Transforming Health policy of the previous government. Whilst not strictly speaking a law, it has had a devastating impact on the Modbury Hospital in my electorate. With services being cut, patients have been receiving an unacceptably low standard of care.

Who are your three favourite political leaders (past or present) from overseas, federal and state government levels and why?

John Howard – John Howard was Prime Minister for much of my youth, and was therefore a significant figure as my own political thoughts and ideals developed.

Steven Marshall – It would be hard to ignore someone who led our Party out of 16 years of opposition and is now leading a government that is fulfilling its promises and restoring trust in South Australian politics.

Robert Menzies – Founded the greatest political party in the world.

What is the most valuable campaign lesson you have learnt?

Listen to people and work hard. There’s no way a candidate can win an election without having exhausted every opportunity to speak to constituents and genuinely listen to their concerns.

What has been the biggest change in your life since becoming a Member of Parliament?

Balancing my commitments and responsibilities as an MP with making sure that I spend as much time as possible with my young family.

If you could make one change to the Parliament, what would it be?

Engaging more with the public and finding ways for the public to feel more involved in the management of our state.

Out of all the policies taken to the 2018 State Election by the Liberal Party, which one are you proudest of?

The restoration of services to the Modbury Hospital.

How do you think we will win the 2022 State Election?

Delivering on our promises and being a good, consultative government.

What is your advice to young people who want to be involved in politics?

Become involved. Go to every event. Volunteer on my campaign for the 2022 election.

21

AD-Lib

Fraser Ellis Narungga

What inspired you to enter Parliament?

I was inspired to enter parliament by a few factors. Once finishing university I was dismayed at the number of jobs available for graduates, and for young people at large. I wanted to play an active role in improving the outlook for people of my generation in South Australia, and people of generations to come. Secondly, upon joining the family business, and even before that, in Kadina I became instantly frustrated at the difficulties that small business face in South Australia. It is clear to me, and apparently to most South Australians after the most election result, that in order to improve employment opportunities the private sector needs to be empowered to succeed. The government cannot be relied upon to create jobs, and it is essential that small and medium business is given the opportunity to do so.

Thirdly, and finally, I am motivated by the need to ensure our regions get what they deserve.

22

The vast majority of our states economy is contributed by regional South Australia and without proper investment and consideration the population will continue to falter and that contribution will be lost.

If there was one new law you could introduce to improve South Australia, what would it be?

South Australia has enough laws, and I’m far more interested in repealing laws than adding new ones. Having said that, I look forward to introducing legislation to re-establish Regional Health Boards to take control of our hospitals away from Country Health SA and returned to the local community.

What is one bad South Australian law that you would like to see repealed? There are so many; I would like to repeal fishing sanctuary zone laws, reduce payroll tax,

AD-Lib

repeal the moratorium on GM crops and to deregulate shop trader hours to name but a few. This state is crippled by rule, regulation and bureaucracy and its time to get stuck in to reducing.

Who are your three favourite political leaders (past or present) from overseas, federal and state government levels and why?

Well, my favourite ever leader is Steven Marshall, current Premier of South Australia who did a fantastic job of leading a united team to an emphatic victory in the most complex election that this state has seen in some time.

I will always appreciate John Howard and the wonderful legacy he left this country after his term as Prime Minister and I am an avid learner of Winton Churchill for guiding the world through the second World War. What is the most valuable campaign lesson you have learnt?

The most valuable lesson I have learned is the importance of time management, which had never been a strong point of mine. Throughout the campaign, and continuing now to my time in office, there has been an incredible demand on my time. In order to satisfy that demand having an effective diary is paramount, and will afford the candidate or member the greatest opportunity for positive voter interaction.

What has been the biggest change in your life since becoming a Member of Parliament?

The change commenced, and I alluded to it before, but the biggest change has been the sacrifice I have made with regard to my social time and down time. There is always an engagement one can attend, and to not do so can sabotage any number of votes at any one time. Getting to as many events is essential,

but it comes at the expense of other activities I used to enjoy.

If you could make one change to the Parliament, what would it be?

I would change the composition of its members, to include solely Liberal Party MPs. Out of all the policies taken to the 2018 State Election by the Liberal Party, which one are you proudest of?

I am most proud of two, and I will not endeavour to split them. Firstly, for the Royalties for Regions program, which will guarantee spending on regional roads and infrastructure, filling a mighty void that has been created by the previous administrations sixteen years of neglect. Secondly, I am proud of all regional health related commitments, both specific hospital commitments at Ardrossan and Yorketown and state-wide initiatives to improve the prospects of regional hospitals.

How do you think we will win the 2022 State Election?

Two things are required to win the next election. Full implementation of our Strong Plan for Real Change and continuing to listen to South Australians and providing the things that they are asking for.

What is your advice to young people who want to be involved in politics?

You only get out what you put in and if you would like to be involved then immerse yourself in it. Sign up to the Liberal Party, attend forums and events, engage in debate and enjoy the company of like-minded individuals.

23

AD-Lib

Carolyn Habib Elder What inspired you to enter Parliament?

From volunteering at young age, serving on Marion Council as an Elected Member, working within the not-for-profit sector to now advocating for our community at a State level, in all my roles, I have been driven by the idea we that we can make a positive difference.

I was born in Alice Springs and moved to Adelaide as a teenager. I love South Australia! As a Member of State Parliament, I would like to see South Australia reach its potential and am honoured and inspired to be able to contribute to shaping our State.

If there was one new law you could introduce to improve South Australia, what would it be?

There is no one single law as such, but I am looking forward to seeing legislation implemented to ensure we deliver on our election commitments.

What is one bad South Australian law that you would like to see repealed?

I would particularly like to see payroll tax scraped for all small businesses in South Australia. It was our policy during the election and I look forward to delivering on that promise for all the small businesses in SA. Who are your three favourite political leaders (past or present) from overseas, federal and state government levels and why?

David Spiers because in his words “you better say me”. In seriousness, David and I have

24

known each other a long time and have previously been colleagues in Council. We share similar values regarding civic engagement and regularly discuss what it means to be a “good local member”. I think his results at the last election show how successful his grassroots approach is in building strong support within his electorate.

Vickie Chapman is another colleague who is an inspiration to me. Vickie was the first female Party President, first female Deputy Leader, first female Attorney General and first female Deputy Premier. She is graceful, stylish and a force to be reckoned with. Vickie has worked hard to achieve those firsts and it would be remiss not to acknowledge her as a wonderful advocate for women in the Liberal Party.

John Howard would also have to be one of my personal favourite politicians in recent history.

As the Prime Minister for a large part of my life, John Howard lead a determined govern-

AD-Lib ment that achieved great reform, delivering 11 out of 12 surpluses and achieving the lowest unemployment rates in over 30 years in 2007.

He was a courageous leader who stood by his convictions and made tough decisions when necessary for the good of our country.

What is the most valuable campaign lesson you have learnt?

Resilience is one of the greatest lessons I have learnt when campaigning. When your opposition attacks, you have to dust yourself off and get back out there to fight. Some days that’s is easier than others but you need to be strong, be prepared for anything they may throw at you, and be resilient.

What has been the biggest change in your life since becoming a Member of Parliament?

An overall lifestyle change with my mind is always switched on, thinking about the endless list of things to do, the possibilities and the opportunities. Fortunately, Brad (my husband) always reminds me when it gets too late at night “to stop thinking and get some sleep!”.

If you could make one change to the Parliament, what would it be?

More female bathrooms!

Out of all the policies taken to the 2018 State Election by the Liberal Party, which one are you proudest of?

Reviving the Repat. As the Member for Elder, which is where The Repat is located, I worked hard with the local community groups, stakeholders and my colleagues to find a way to reverse the decision made by the Weatherill Government to sell off the site.

At one point in our campaign there looked like there was NO future for The Repat. The sale was going ahead, the site was being de-commissioned, staff and patients were moved off the site, and the mixed-use zoning was being considered. I remember saying, we just have to pray that, they don’t start bulldozing the site. If

we can just get to the election, and win it, and the buildings are intact then there is a chance we may be able to bring the site back to life.

Fortunately, like me, there were many people who didn’t want to give up – so we kept going.

We kept holding meetings, the community kept turning up, and Stephen Wade and the committee worked tirelessly to find any possible solutions to ensure the site remained a health care precinct. In the end, we have been able to deliver to the community a commitment to not sell off the land and to keep the site as a dedicated health precinct. I am extremely proud that we listened to our community and as a Liberal Government have been able to deliver on this promise.

How do you think we will win the 2022 State Election?

By being a good government that delivers on our election promise and other tangible outcomes for our community. This is our chance to prove ourselves and deliver on improving our State’s economy and building a stronger SA for tomorrow.

We then will need to build on the successful key elements of the 2018 campaign, eg: leveraging technology, quality marketing materials and communications, hardworking candidates, armies of volunteers, targeted strategies, strong policy platform, and of course: help from the young liberals!

What is your advice to young people who want to be involved in politics?

Remember that ‘politics’ is a vehicle to arrive at a destination that sees your community, state and country improved – it’s not a game to be played. So, be clear on your values and the contribution you want to make to our State and/or Country – and let that drive you.

25

AD-Lib

Matt Cowdrey Colton

What inspired you to enter Parliament?

An opportunity to influence change for a South Australian electorate that so desperately wanted change and my time spent in the US Congress.

If there was one new law/policy you could introduce to improve South Australia, what would it be?

We are already on the case – South Australian Productivity Commission.

Who are your three favourite political leaders (past or present) from overseas, federal and state government levels and why?

Ronald Reagan, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen & John Howard What is the most valuable campaign lesson you have learnt?

Sign waving is an underrated campaign tool.

What has been the biggest change in your life since becoming a Member of Parliament?

I don’t venture outside the area of Colton as often as I used to.

If you could make one change to the Parliament, what would it be?

Taken on notice.

Out of all the policies taken to the 2018 State Election by the Liberal Party, which one are you proudest of?

Coastal Management.

How do you think we will win the 2022 State Election?

Good government.

What is your advice to young people who want to be involved in politics?

Get involved with your local community.

26

AD-Lib

Nick McBride What inspired you to enter Parliament?

An interest in Politics and the Liberal Party since the late 1980’s. Participating in the Liberal Party Branches, Colleges and State Council has been interesting and rewarding. I have always thought that belonging to a Political Party gave you access to be part of the solutions to local, State and Federal issues, standing back and complaining achieved very little.

If there was one new law you could introduce to improve South Australia, what would it be?

I have a belief that we are over-governed, over-regulated and there is an overly legalised law system that impedes daily life. Adding new laws is not high on the priority list so much as improving upon the laws already in place.

What is one bad South Australian Law that you would like to see repealed?

I can’t think of one bad law in its entirety, however, there are some that have gone too far like road and transport laws.

Who are your three favourite political leaders (past or present) from overseas, federal and state governments levels and why?

Sir Robert Menzies – Quick-witted, believed in fairness and opportunity for all Australians.

Australia’s longest serving Prime Minister.

Worked with my Great Grandfather in writing the Liberal Party Constitution.

Nelson Mandella - Stood up against oppression. Wanted a fair go for everyone no matter their background or circumstances.

What is the most valuable campaign lesson you have learnt?

That it is vital to have decent representation of rural and regional constituents, those outside of these areas don’t have as firm of an understanding of regional SA as those who live

Mackillop

and work there. When you add that the seat I campaigned for was a strong conservative seat, that was seeking strong leadership and policies, I learnt that it was important to work hard to make linkages and advocate for the needs of Mackillop as a regional electorate.

What has been the biggest change in your life since becoming a Member for Parliament?

Travelling around the electorate. I never seem to be home anymore so I am extremely grateful that I don’t have a young family. Thankfully, I have always been an active person, so the transition to the fast-paced and challenging nature of political life was smoother than it might have been otherwise.

If you could make a change to the Parliament, what would it be?

To be more efficient so as to speed up processes, and to be more accountable for decisions made.

Out of all the policies taken to the 2018 State Election by the Liberal Party, which one are you proudest of?

To rebuild and maintain Regional Infrastructure.

How do you think we will win the 2022 State Election?

By being decisive and clear about our State’s potential, and by staying united as a party and Government.

What is your advice to young people who want to be involved in politics?

Participate in all levels of the Party i.e. branches, SEC, FEC, and State Council. Be involved in Interest Community Groups, and excel in your chosen career. Push as hard as possible to be as educated in your field as possible.

27

AD-Lib ELECTION 2018 EDITION www.saylm.org.au