SA:Rann says no pressure to quit parliament

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-2011
SA:Rann says no pressure to quit parliament

ADELAIDE, Dec 14 AAP - Former South Australian premier Mike Rann says he's had no pressure
from the Labor Party to resign from parliament to clear the way for a by-election in his
safe Labor seat.

Mr Rann stepped down as premier in October, handing over to Jay Weatherill and indicated
he would quit politics altogether in early 2012.

At the time he said he did not want to resign immediately and force voters in his seat
to go to the polls just before Christmas or during the January holiday period.

Former treasurer Kevin Foley also stepped down from cabinet at the same time as Mr
Rann and resigned from his seat of Port Adelaide on Monday.

A by-election has now been set for February 11.

Labor is thought to be keen to hold the poll for Mr Rann's seat of Ramsay at the same
time to minimise the impact on the government's agenda.

But that requires the former premier to also hand in his resignation.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Mr Rann said he had not been pressured to step down,
describing suggestions that he had as "media spin".

"Have had no pressure whatsoever to step down from my role as MP for Ramsay," he said.

The ALP has already pre-selected former public affairs company director Zoe Bettison
as its candidate in Ramsay which the government holds with a healthy 18 per cent margin.

The Liberal opposition is unlikely to run a candidate after already announcing it will
not contest the by-election in Port Adelaide, where the margin is a more manageable 12.8
per cent.

The government's biggest challenge in Mr Foley's former seat will come from local mayor
Gary Johanson, who will stand as an independent against Labor's Susan Close, an environment
department executive.

AAP tjd/wf

KEYWORD: RANN

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