Vote set for SA Liberal leadership

19 Oct 2012, 5:04 pm   -   Source: AAP
South Australian Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond is to face a leadership challenge next week. (AAP)

South Australian Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond is to face a leadership challenge next week. (AAP)

A vote will be held on Tuesday to decide the South Australian Liberal leadership, with Martin Hamilton-Smith challenging for the job.

South Australian Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond has urged opponents in her party to "bring it on" if they think they have the numbers to take her job.

Now opposition health spokesman Martin Hamilton-Smith has done just that, setting up a leadership vote and forcing Liberal MPs to take sides.

Mr Hamilton-Smith confirmed on Friday he would contest the ballot for the leadership, with fellow frontbencher Stephen Marshall standing for the deputy's position, currently held by Mitch Williams.

The vote will be held on Tuesday after the required signatures from MPs calling for a spill of the leadership positions was lodged with the party's parliamentary officials.

Mr Hamilton-Smith said he had a plan to deliver "growth, vitality and prosperity" for all South Australians.

"The Liberal leadership and deputy leadership is a matter for the state parliamentary Liberal Party," he said in a joint statement with Mr Marshall.

"We will be speaking with each of our colleagues between now and Tuesday regarding this matter."

Mr Hamilton-Smith was opposition leader from 2007 to 2009 but was replaced after leaked documents he used to link the Labor government to the Church of Scientology turned out to be fakes.

Ms Redmond has not indicated if she will contest Tuesday's ballot, but said this week she intended to take the party to the next state election in 2014.

"I am the leader. I expect to continue and intend to continue as the leader," she said.

She has been under pressure since last month's gaffe that a future Liberal government would cut about 25,000 public service jobs.

She later withdrew the comment, saying it was not Liberal Party policy but that did not stop speculation over her future.

It was also revealed recently that she had considered, but later rejected, taking up a casual Senate vacancy and there were reports she offered to step aside to allow former foreign minister Alexander Downer to enter state parliament and take over the leadership.

She has refused to confirm or deny those reports and Mr Downer has rejected a return to politics.

Despite the controversy, Ms Redmond has put the Liberals in a winning position, with recent opinion polls suggesting the party would coast to victory in the next state election in 2014.

She narrowly lost the 2010 state poll to former premier Mike Rann, who was himself replaced by Jay Weatherill a year ago.

While it was generally considered she did a good job in the election campaign, her failure to win government was always going rankle some in the party, including those who had considered victory was theirs for the taking.

The ongoing stoush over the Liberal leadership has further undermined the opposition's ability to land blows on the Labor government with Mr Weatherill continuing to highlight the internal divisions.

On Friday he described the party as "hopelessly divided" and said the choice was to turn back to a failed leader or stick with one who was undermined on a daily basis.

Liberal frontbencher Dan van Holst Pellekaan said he and his colleagues had an "extremely important decision to make".

"Regardless of who is successful, that person will have my full support as leader of the opposition," he said.

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