ID :
108718
Fri, 02/26/2010 - 17:34
Auther :

Libs pondering communist theories: Foley

(AAP) - South Australia's Labor Party attack dog, Treasurer Kevin Foley, has unleashed a savage assault on Liberal leader Isobel Redmond, accusing her of considering communist-style economic policies.

As the campaign for the March 20 state election turned personal, Mr Foley described
Ms Redmond as a copycat with no genuine ideas and not ready to become premier.
Ms Redmond on Friday detailed the Liberal Party's mining policy, including a $2
million commitment towards establishing a deep sea port at Port Bonython.
She said a Liberal government would consider options including underwriting minimum
usage from the port.
"If the Liberal Party are talking about underwriting export volumes from a port,
that is communist economics, that is Stalinist type economic theory," Mr Foley said.
"That is a very dramatic development that again shows Ms Redmond is not ready for
government.
"That would be an appalling decision.
"That is not to say there shouldn't be perhaps some government assistance if it
comes to the margin in terms of the infrastructure, but to suggest there be any form
of underwriting smacks of cold war communism economic policy.
"... The days of communist-style government intervention with the economy are over
and I am just quite surprised that a Liberal leader would be putting forward such an
archaic process in terms of getting a project up such as a deep sea port."
Mr Foley said he was "still trying to work out whether Ms Redmond has any ideas of
her own and what she stands for".
He accused the Liberals of a "me too" approach in the election campaign.
"The Liberals have been copying our policy ideas dollar for dollar," Mr Foley said.
"Where are Isobel Redmond's (ideas). She has copied a few from the former Liberal
leader ... but she hasn't put up any key ideas of her own."
The attack prompted a fierce response from the Liberals' veteran hard hitter and
finance spokesman Rob Lucas.
"Mr Foley's audacity on this issue is an embarrassment to himself and the Labor
Party," Mr Lucas said.
In other election announcements on Friday, Premier Mike Rann announced the renowned
Adelaide Festival would become an annual event if he wins the election.
The biennial festival of the arts would receive $8 million in annual funding from a
re-elected Labor government, he said.
The 2010 Adelaide Festival officially opened on Friday with the premier saying the
festival two years ago delivered an economic benefit of $14 million to the state and
attracted more than 11,000 visitors.

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