Martin Hamilton-Smith quits Liberals to back South Australian Labor Government

Updated

Former South Australian Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith has declared himself an independent Liberal and joined the Labor Government as a minister, in a move described by federal Liberal minister Christopher Pyne as traitorous.

Mr Hamilton-Smith becomes Trade, Defence Industries and Veterans' Affairs Minister in return for backing the Government for any key parliamentary votes, such as supply bills and any confidence motions.

He says business in SA needs certainty and stable government.

"I think the Premier and I are of one mind. We want to build things we don't want to rip them down and I can't see how the uncertainty and the political point-scoring over coming months and years will help kids, the pensioners, those who might be worried about their small businesses surviving," he said.

"It's time now to put people first and put the politics second."

SA Opposition Leader Steven Marshall appeared to have no knowledge of the deal when he held a news conference less than half an hour before the Premier's announcement.

Mr Hamilton-Smith said he had now spoken with the current Liberal leader.

"I have spoken to Steven and explained my position," he said.

"What I am focused on is making a contribution. We are here to do everything we can to make South Australia a better place."

Mr Marshall had been about to fly out of Adelaide for New Zealand but swiftly cancelled his trip.

In a statement, Mr Marshall said: "[Tuesday's] news that Martin Hamilton-Smith has defected to a parasitic, divided and dysfunctional Labor Party is an act of political betrayal and treachery".

It's a body blow. There's no doubt about that. Steven Marshall

"Mr Hamilton-Smith's disgraceful decision is unrivalled in its treachery and duplicity," he added.

"Mr Hamilton-Smith might think he can call himself an independent Liberal but he is now a member of a Labor Cabinet. With Mr Hamilton-Smith's background, he should understand what loyalty means. Clearly he doesn't have a clue about loyalty."

At a later news conference Mr Marshall conceded: "It's a body blow. There's no doubt about that".

He says Mr Hamilton-Smith has put self-interest ahead of his conservative electorate.

"Martin Hamilton-Smith should hang his head in shame," he said.

"It's a massive act of betrayal against the Liberal Party, it's a massive act of betrayal against the voters in Waite, and now we end up with this cobbled-together government at a time when we need a decisive government which is going to put the interests of South Australia first."

Christopher Pyne calls Hamilton-Smith greatest traitor

Who is Martin Hamilton-Smith? He served in the Australian Army for more than two decades and led a peacekeeping force in Egypt.

Mr Hamilton-Smith entered State Parliament in 1997 in the blue-ribbon Adelaide seat of Waite.

In 2005, he challenged Rob Kerin for the Liberal leadership but then withdrew from the contest.

Mr Hamilton-Smith took the Liberal leadership from Iain Evans in 2007.

His use in 2009 of "dodgy documents" in the Parliament brought his leadership undone. Mr Hamilton-Smith used information which later was found to be forged that his political opponents had taken donations from the Church of Scientology.

He challenged for the Liberal leadership again, against Isobel Redmond in 2012 but she won by a single vote.

When Ms Redmond stepped down, Mr Hamilton-Smith said he would not run and Steven Marshall became Liberal leader.

His sentiments were echoed in comments by Mr Pyne, the Federal Education Minister.

"Martin Hamilton-Smith will go down, not as a fighting Leader of the Liberal Party who believed in things, but as the greatest traitor to his political party in the history of the state," he said

"Everyone respects someone who fights the good fight and loses, no-one respects a political traitor.

"Labor MPs will be laughing at Martin Hamilton-Smith behind their hands when he is in the room and laughing out loud at him behind his back."

Mr Hamilton-Smith says he knows he will lose some friends he has had for a long time.

"Steven and others in the Liberal Party will be disappointed with my decision today, there is no question, and friends I have had for a very long time I will lose, I accept that," he said.

He says he will not be commenting specifically on the state Liberal Party but has immense respect for the party's rank and file.

Premier Jay Weatherill says he is pleased to have the former Liberal leader's support for his government.

"I welcome Mr Hamilton-Smith to our ministry. I know this has been a very difficult decision for Martin, it hasn't been taken lightly on his side or ours," he told reporters.

Pressed about their deal, Mr Weatherill said: "It's the same arrangement that was entered into with Mr Brock".

Geoff Brock, the independent MP for the electorate based around Port Pirie, was given a ministry focused on regional affairs in return for ensuring the ALP was returned to power after the election in March.

Peter Lewis among previous defectors to SA Labor

The Labor Party in South Australia has seduced conservatives into its ranks before.

Peter Lewis, a former Liberal who became independent of the party, turned a hung parliament into a minority Labor government for Mike Rann in 2002.

Martin believes working families have been punished under Jay Weatherill and Labor with higher state fees and charges and wrong priorities on health and education. Harsh words for Labor on Martin Hamilton-Smith's website at same time he was standing alongside the Premier

Mr Lewis was made speaker of the lower house in return for his support.

Labor then won backing from two more conservatives Rory McEwen and Karlene Maywald, who became ministers in the Rann government.

The fourth-term Labor Government now will have 23 seats and the support of two independents in the 47-seat lower house of the SA Parliament.

Mr Hamilton-Smith not surprisingly was a harsh critic of the Labor Government when he sat on the Liberal benches of the House of Assembly.

His website still reads: "Martin believes working families have been punished under Jay Weatherill and Labor with higher state fees and charges and wrong priorities on health and education."

Liberal frontbencher David Pisoni, a former Hamilton-Smith backer, says the political move is a selfish act by the ex-leader.

A former SA Liberal leader John Olsen, who now chairs the authority running Adelaide Oval, says he does not want to comment on Mr Hamilton-Smith's move.

Topics: states-and-territories, alp, liberals, political-parties, government-and-politics, sa, adelaide-5000, australia

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