I can't say I follow South Australian politics closely, but I like the rationale behind this....
TL;DR - in South Australia a Liberal politician has accepted an offer to become a Minister as a part of an ALP state Government.
Former SA Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith becomes a minister in Labor State Government
FORMER Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith will become a minister in the minority State Labor Government.
Mr Hamilton-Smith has accepted a spot in Cabinet and will sit on the crossbenches.
He will become the minister for Investment, Trade, Defence Industries and Veterans Affairs.
Mr Hamilton-Smith's defection takes Labor's working majority in Parliament to two.
Former minister and Member for Newland Tom Kenyon brokered the deal over a series of lunches following the election.
Mr Hamilton-Smith and Mr Kenyon, in the last term of parliament, travelled overseas on several bipartisan trade missions and became good friends.
Mr Hamilton-Smith has held the safe Liberal seat of Waite for 14 years and was opposition leader between 2007 and 2009.
"I'm delighted the Premier has extended this opportunity to me to serve in government," Mr Hamilton-Smith said
"The Government won the election ... the election is over and what we all in Parliament need to consider is what is in the best interests of the people of South Australia.
"What the people of South Australia deserve now is good and effective government. They deserve certainty."
He said his defection would give the community certainty in a time of great economic challenges.
He said he and Premier Jay Weatherill "want to build things, we don't want to rip them down ... it's time to put people first and politics second".
He said he would be "an independent Liberal" serving in the State Government. "The people of Waite elected a Liberal and they still have one. I will be running at the next election as an independent Liberal. Having made this decision I will put myself back to the people of Waite, I will explain my decision and I will stand for re-election in 2018."
He said he had spent most of his career in Opposition, but Premier had given him an opportunity to "step up to the plate ... and make the world a better place and I'm going to take it".
Mr Weatherill said the decision meant having the "best talent available in SA" in the Government.
He said this was the best way for his Government to replicate the election result within the executive arm having both an independent and an independent Liberal in the Cabinet.
"We know he is hard-working and has been well regarded by industry and by all sides of politics since being elected to Parliament in 1997," Mr Weatherill said.
"Mr Hamilton-Smith has been a strong advocate for the defence industries and has worked in a bipartisan manner to advance South Australia?s trade investment."
TL;DR - in South Australia a Liberal politician has accepted an offer to become a Minister as a part of an ALP state Government.
Former SA Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith becomes a minister in Labor State Government
FORMER Liberal leader Martin Hamilton-Smith will become a minister in the minority State Labor Government.
Mr Hamilton-Smith has accepted a spot in Cabinet and will sit on the crossbenches.
He will become the minister for Investment, Trade, Defence Industries and Veterans Affairs.
Mr Hamilton-Smith's defection takes Labor's working majority in Parliament to two.
Former minister and Member for Newland Tom Kenyon brokered the deal over a series of lunches following the election.
Mr Hamilton-Smith and Mr Kenyon, in the last term of parliament, travelled overseas on several bipartisan trade missions and became good friends.
Mr Hamilton-Smith has held the safe Liberal seat of Waite for 14 years and was opposition leader between 2007 and 2009.
"I'm delighted the Premier has extended this opportunity to me to serve in government," Mr Hamilton-Smith said
"The Government won the election ... the election is over and what we all in Parliament need to consider is what is in the best interests of the people of South Australia.
"What the people of South Australia deserve now is good and effective government. They deserve certainty."
He said his defection would give the community certainty in a time of great economic challenges.
He said he and Premier Jay Weatherill "want to build things, we don't want to rip them down ... it's time to put people first and politics second".
He said he would be "an independent Liberal" serving in the State Government. "The people of Waite elected a Liberal and they still have one. I will be running at the next election as an independent Liberal. Having made this decision I will put myself back to the people of Waite, I will explain my decision and I will stand for re-election in 2018."
He said he had spent most of his career in Opposition, but Premier had given him an opportunity to "step up to the plate ... and make the world a better place and I'm going to take it".
Mr Weatherill said the decision meant having the "best talent available in SA" in the Government.
He said this was the best way for his Government to replicate the election result within the executive arm having both an independent and an independent Liberal in the Cabinet.
"We know he is hard-working and has been well regarded by industry and by all sides of politics since being elected to Parliament in 1997," Mr Weatherill said.
"Mr Hamilton-Smith has been a strong advocate for the defence industries and has worked in a bipartisan manner to advance South Australia?s trade investment."