Rann denies breach of caretaker mode

South Australian Premier Mike Rann denies he is snubbing caretaker mode protocols by giving a new federal health plan the thumbs up.

Liberal leader Isobel Redmond made rushed trip to Canberra on Wednesday to discuss health and water concerns while the government is in caretaker mode ahead of the March 20 poll.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently announced a plan to strip one-third of GST revenues from the states and territories and invest them directly into Australia's health system.

Mr Rann gave the deal the tick of approval.

'Strongly support' reform

"I am prepared to strongly support the direction of these reforms," he said in a statement after the federal government announcement.

But Ms Redmond says Mr Rann's support of the policy is a breach of caretaker mode protocols, and Mr Rudd should have included the opposition in its briefing.

"If the premier's been briefed, why haven't I been briefed?" she told AAP.

"I am the alternative premier, and we are, in theory, on equal footing."

'Caretaker conventions'

Upon the formal kick-off of an election, governments go into caretaker mode and follow a set of practices known as `caretaker conventions'.

"Governments avoid making major policy decisions during the caretaker period that are likely to commit an incoming government," the convention states.

"Relevant considerations include not only the significance of the commitment in terms of policy and resources, but also whether the decision is a matter of contention between the government and opposition parties in the election campaign."

But Mr Rann says he hasn't signed off on anything.

And when asked if he thought he had breached the caretaker convention rules, Mr Rann said: "No, not at all".

Negotiations at COAG

Formal negotiations are yet to take place - they will occur at the Council Of Australian Governments (COAG) in April - after the SA election.

"I have to be re-elected to be part of that, so there's no breach in caretaker provisions whatsoever," he said.

"We basically have given, in-principle support, because my job is to fight for South Australia."

Mr Rann also denounced Ms Redmond's surprise visit to Canberra - on the same day as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - as "extraordinary".

'Media stunt'

"It was a stunt, it wasn't really about health, it was a media stunt," he said.

"Premiers don't act like that, that's a demonstration they're not serious."

Ms Redmond however, said she was there to address similar concerns to those of NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, who expressed fears of job losses if the plans went ahead.

"I want to know from Kevin Rudd, I want a guarantee from him, that no hospitals or aged care facilities in South Australia will be adversely affected by this proposal," Ms Redmond said.

"And in the absence of that guarantee then it won't be something I'll be signing up to."

Timing questioned

The two premiers facing election, in SA and Tasmania, were the only ones supporting the health reforms, she said.

Ms Redmond also cited water as a concern she wanted to discuss while in Canberra.

But as she was in Canberra trying to set up a meeting with Water Minister Penny Wong, Mr Rann was in Adelaide announcing a deal with the NSW government that would send an extra 70 billion litres of water to the Lower Lakes.