SA political leaders face off in first formal debate

ABC NEWS (Australia)

South Australia’s political leaders have faced off in their first formal debate exactly one year out from the next state election. Liberal leader Vicent Tarzia attempting to make up much needed ground on popular Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas.

Transcript

00:00After a prolonged pre-debate handshake for the cameras, the battle lines were drawn.

00:09This is a good times Premier. He's here for the good times, but he's not here for the

00:14bad times.

00:15We are objectively in a better place. And more than that, I think what's even more important

00:20is whether or not we can honestly say we have the capacity to be even in a better place

00:25again ten years from where we are now.

00:27After just seven months in the job, Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia was auditioning for

00:31the state's top job, targeting the government over missed 2022 election promises, including

00:37its inability to fix ambulance ramping.

00:40South Australia deserves a leader that delivers, not a leader that deceives.

00:47We know that the ramping crisis isn't fixed, but we keep getting on with the task because

00:51we choose to act.

00:53With reputations on the line, there were tense exchanges.

00:57Peter, you just had an opportunity to tell the people of South Australia that you haven't

01:01got this right.

01:02I did say that.

01:03Are we going to be interrupting each other? Are we going to be interrupting each other?

01:08Because I haven't finished.

01:09But Vincent Tarzia was also asked about ongoing instability within the Liberal Party, both

01:14before and after the controversial resignation of his predecessor, David Spears.

01:20Guy's going through some challenges at the moment, of course. I mean, talk about kicking

01:22a guy while he's down. He's not a member of the Liberal Party anymore.

01:26The Premier throughout pushed Labor's economic performance and the state's near-record low

01:31unemployment. Mr Malinowskis also spruiking the decision to put the Wyala Steelworks into

01:37administration.

01:38That is what is required on governments, to respond to the circumstances in front of you,

01:42not recall a way out of challenge, but rather step up to the plate and respond.

01:46With the federal election looming, both leaders decided against announcing any new policies,

01:52early preferring to wait until closer to the state poll next March in the hope of getting

01:57clear air to sell their message.

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