Logo
Prev
search
Print
addthis
Rotate
Help
Next
All Pages
Browse Issues
Home
'
The South Eastern Times : May 25th 2017
Contents
NEWS 3 Corcoran recalled J.L. ‘FRED’ SMITH fred@setimes.com.au IT is almost 50 years to the day since then Member for Millicent Des Corcoran missed elevation to the post of premier by a mere three votes. The 25 members of the Labor Party Caucus split 14/11 in favour of Attorney-General Don Dunstan to replace retiring premier Frank Walsh. Mr Dunstan went on to lead the Labor Party for the next 12 years and was a reformist premier for a decade. He lost the 1968 election but regained office at a poll two years later. Throughout that period, Mr Corcoran was his deputy and also held such ministries as lands, works, repatriation, immigration and marine and harbours. Following Mr Dunstan’s resignation due to illness early in 1979, Mr Corcoran was elevated unopposed to the premiership. He was unseated after only seven months as he led the Labor Party to defeat at a snap election which he called. His 20 years in State Parliament ended in 1982 and he died in 2004 at the age of 75. The South Eastern Times asked political identities from Millicent and district to pose what might have happened if South Australia had the “Corcoran Decade” rather than the “Dunstan Decade”. Canunda grazier Fred Ellis was involved in public life in the 1960s and 1970s as an elected member for two terms on the District Council of Millicent. The 90-year-old is a long- time Liberal Party member and was opposed to Mr Corcoran’s political outlook. “I got to know Des fairly well and I knew his [MP] father Jim as well,” Mr Ellis said. “Des would have a drink with us at the Millicent Community Club after our council meetings and learn what was going on. “We also knew him socially through our mutual Altschwager friends at Tantanoola. “Des had a leftist side and I would not have voted for him. “Des would have had milder BUDDING POLITICIAN: Future Premier Des Corcoran as a young soldier. IN BRIEF ground and country regional community sensibility, provided an even keel for the other ‘two cultures’ within the Labor Party as represented by the ‘industrial movement’ and the “law”. “Political parties, like all organisations, require this balance of ‘talent and values’ to be relevant and energetic.” Mr Golding said the substan- tial policy reforms occurring on Deputy Premier Des Corcoran’s watch included constitutional change, planning, economic and Asian trade development, industrial law, health, education, tourism, arts, Aboriginal land rights, liquor licensing and lotteries. “If hypothetically Des had secured the votes to become Labor Party leader in 1967 and hypothetically the resultant 1968 election delivered government to the ALP ‘if’ the two country seats lost were retained by Labor, the previously mentioned Labor Party policy achievements probably would still have occurred, as well as a period of LCLgovernment achievements within a few years. “That was the volatile mood of the electorate and political culture of the 1970s. “And if the Liberal County League’s Martin Cameron had won the Millicent seat in 1968 that would have been the LCL’s gain and the Labor Party’s temporary loss of Des. “I do believe market, cultural and political times change and are not exclusively dependant on individuals.” Mr Cameron later had a 20-year parliamentary career in the senate and the legislative council and then became the Liberal Party State president. Reflecting on that period, Mr Cameron said Mr Dunstan was a clever campaigner. LABOR PARTY STALWART: Phil Golding policies than Dunstan and not pushed the arts to the same degree.” Millicent Labor Party member and past MacKillop electorate candidate Phil Golding said his involvement in politics is limited to grass-root activity in the ALP since 1979. He said he met Mr Corcoran on occasions and similarly a couple of Don Dunstan’s offspring, but he only observed the latter at public functions. “Don was older and entered politics in 1953, nine years before Des, although Des had the advantage of early tutelage from his father,” Mr Golding said. “I think that Des, with his public sector military back- “Des would not have achieved the same results,” Mr Cameron said. “Dunstan got the credit for the work of others such as the Adelaide Festival Centre. “The site was chosen by Liberal Premier Steele Hall. “The Liberals made it too easy for Dunstan and they refused to change. “They made him look like a reformer when they should have been reforming themselves.” Co-location proposal rejected THE Millicent National Trust Committee has been assured a Wattle Range Council staff proposal to examine the possible co-location of the Millicent Visitor Information Centre with the Millicent Public Library will not proceed. The purpose-built centre on Mount Gambier Road has provided a staffed entrance to the Living History Museum for the past 22 years. The staff proposal had arisen during a series of eight closed council gatherings when the draft 2017/18 budget was prepared. However, the co-location concept was not supported by elected members and it was not part of the draft plan adopted at a special council meeting. Council chief executive Ben Gower explained the situation to a meeting of the Millicent National Trust Committee on Tuesday. National Trust chairman David Botting said members were pleased the situation had been clarified. Mr Botting said the proposal had caused concern as his volunteer members would not have been able to staff the centre. “Some of them are only here three or four hours per week,” Mr Botting said. “We could not have been responsible for staffing the centre eight hours per day, including weekends. “The worst case scenario would have led to the closure of the Millicent museum. “All the contents are owned by the National Trust and they could have gone back to Adelaide.” School utility bill support SOUTH Australian schools will have more funds available for additional teaching resources, support programs and technology after the State Government announced it will fully fund utility bills for all public schools and preschools. Water, electricity and gas bills will be processed and funded by the State Government, providing financial relief for the state’s 900 public schools and preschools. Any penalty rates incurred by schools as a result of cleaning will also be funded by the State Government. Education and Child Development Minister Susan Close said the commitment would provide schools more certainty over their own budgets. Photographers’ work displayed THE works of three award-winning Limestone Coast photographers will be on display at a new exhibition at the Millicent Library. The Trio of Photographers exhibition will feature works from Darren Galwey, Simon Whennan and Alex Window. The exhibition will be officially opened by photographer Steve Chapple tomorrow at 6.30pm. Member’s Specials Jim Beam White 700ml $32.99 XXXX Gold 30pk cans $45.99 VB 30pk cans $52.99 55 George Street, Millicent 8733 2242 www.thesoutheasterntimes.com.au 6pk, bottle of wine or 4pk when you spend $30 or more in store* *CONDITIONS APPLY 710579 The South Eastern Times, Thursday, May 25, 2017 - 3 Pick up this for $10 Save up to $1399
Links
Archive
May 23rd 2017
May 30th 2017
Navigation
Previous Page
Next Page
