Comments on: Seat du jour: Wakefield

By: Matthew Sykes

Matthew Sykes — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 10:55:35 +0000

1. SA Seat Predictions Part 3: Wakefield
I first have to admit, I don’t feel as comfortable predicting this one, as the nature of the seat is much more heterogeneous than most of the other adelaide seats, taking in areas such as elizabeth, to rural areas around gawler and angle vale.
There is also evidence to suggest the local member David Fawcett is quite hard-working, which might well save him from the sort of swings that are likely to be seen elsewhere in Adelaide. Also, in parts of the seat, I don’t see workchoices being the issue it may well be elsewhere.
For the reasons above, I think Wakefield will move less to labor than the state average, but when you are on a margin of 4/5 of bugger all, you’re still dead.
So, a labor gain, with a 2PP swing of 5%.

By: ICMore

ICMore — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 08:32:23 +0000

What is it with the SDA kiddy signature collectors the “King” has endorsed for Kingston and Wakefield and the Australian flag in the background, wasnt Pauline has the last one to wrap herself in the Flag

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:00:24 +0000

Terry Allen, the Greens candidate in Wakefield has recently started a blog at http://wakegreens.wordpress.com/. It looks like it’s going to be quite fun. Thank goodness there’s going to be a bit of colour. Champion and Fawcett could both be described as somewhat dull!

By: chinda63

chinda63 — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 22:46:14 +0000

SAVoter – Linda Kirk lost her endorsement because of a disagreement she had with Don Farrell’s wife, who used to work in her electorate office. It had nothing to do with her parliamentary performance or ideological position on anything.

You piss off The King (or his wife), you’re dead meat. It’s as simple as that.

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:39:44 +0000

David Fawcett deserves far more acknowledgement in Wakefield than he receives. He is truly tireless! EVERY week he is at Elizabeth shopping centre and various train stations, not just for 30 mins but from 9 – 9pm I kid you not! now I have not seen any other members do that before! He has been doing it since he won and he is an intelligent, compassionate man who has really worked his guts out for the community and achieved an incredible ammount in such a short time, I am certainly voting to keep him on because I care about my local community.
Well done David!

By: SAVoter

SAVoter — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:56:47 +0000

Thatâ€™s just cr_p. Champion was Kate Ellisâ€™ campaign manager, winning that seat from the Liberals against the tide in 2004. I saw him that night. He was in tears at the overall result nationwide – taking no pleasure from the personal kudos the Adelaide result would bring, he was instead shattered for the country, for working people, for Labor and the union movement.

I know what he was last election, thanks. He treated ‘outsiders’ (i.e. non-SDA approved ALP members) like gophers/non-people. It was great, you could see how much he cared when he waltzed in, gave a bunch of orders, and waltzed out again.

By: SAVoter

SAVoter — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:54:53 +0000

However the fact is that the SDA does lobby both publicly and internally within the ALP for conservative positions on social issues like IVF that are not obviously connected with its industrial role.

Indeed. It is a powerhouse of the catholic working right of the ALP in SA. Linda Kirk’s loss of preselection for the Senate in SA despite being a sitting Senator has a lot to do with her failure to be sufficiently anti-feminist on issues like birth control.

By: Martin B

Martin B — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:57:16 +0000

The SDA remembers the politics of class, not the politics of identity.

If that were the case it would be fine.

However the fact is that the SDA does lobby both publicly and internally within the ALP for conservative positions on social issues like IVF that are not obviously connected with its industrial role.

By: Darren

Darren — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:45:50 +0000

I agree, Howard might be down and out for the count but this Fawcett chap might still hold on.
I’ve seen him at my train station too and I keep getting regular updates in the mail from him.
I’m pleased for once to see a MP “campaigning” during their whole time in office, not just at the election time. Haven’t seen much from the ALP fellow except a few generic, glossy brochures.

By: Jada

Jada — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 07:31:35 +0000

Don’t write Fawcett off just yet. I was shocked to see him at my train station just a couple of months after the last election. He’s been there another 5 or 6 times since. I hear he’s been at local shopping centres for years too. All that work has got to count for something.