Iain Evans

Iain Frederick Evans (born 1960) is a South Australian Liberal Party politician. He studied at Heathfield High School and gained a Bachelor Degree for Building Technology from the SA Institute of Technology (now University of South Australia). Prior to entering politics he managed a family-owned building and retailing business. He was elected in the 1993 election landslide for the safe conservative seat of Davenport (following the retirement of his father, Stan Evans). Evans held various portfolios in the Olsen and Kerin governments, including Correctional Services, Environment & Heritage, Racing and Volunteers. He gained the Deputy Leadership in November 2005 and with the resignation of Kerin after the electoral defeat of 2006 became Leader of the South Australian Liberal Party in a joint leadership ticket with Vickie Chapman.

The following is a quote from pollbludger.com: [ [http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/davenport.htm The Poll Bludger - Australian State and Federal Elections] ]

:"Evans Senior decided to pull the pin altogether and make way for his son at the 1993 election. Evans Junior arrived just in time for a Liberal government and quickly established himself, making it to cabinet in December 1997. He has served in the police, industry, trade and environment portfolios in government, and in planning and industrial relations in opposition. Widely rated as the Liberal Party's best performer in parliament, Evans was discussed as a potential successor when John Olsen was obliged to resign over the Motorola affair in October 2001. It rarely escapes notice that his factional rival to succeed Rob Kerin as leader is Vickie Chapman, daughter of the aforementioned Ted Chapman – perpetuating a rivalry which now spans three decades. Evans achieved a major victory when he defeated Chapman in the deputy leadership vote after Dean Brown's resignation in November 2005, by 15 votes to five."

By February 2007, financial woes within the state Liberal party as well as contests between the party president and opposition leadership had come to a head. [cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21275309-5006787,00.html|title=Lib leaders at loggerheads|work=The Australian|date=24 February 2007|accessdate=2007-02-28] At a meeting in Norwood, Evans reportedly commented that "when we lose the federal election at the end of the year, the Liberal Party will be in dire straits and we have got to plan to deal with that". The alleged gaffe drew a rebuke from one federal Liberal MP who labelled Evans and his state parliamentary team "hopeless". [cite news|title=Evans remark draws defeatist tag|work=The Advertiser|date=21 February 2007|pages=2] Party president Christopher Moriarty accused Evans of being "piss-weak and gutless" for not backing a business plan aimed at assisting the party out of its parlous financial situation.cite news|last=Bildstien|first=Craig|title=Libs chief attacks Evans as 'gutless'|work=Adelaide Advertiser|pages=3|date=22 February 2007] High-ranking party members were canvassing support for an urgent no-confidence motion in Mr Moriarty, with one senior figure quoted as saying that "Moriarty is to the Liberal Party what Mark Latham was to Labor", but others counselled Evans against challenging Moriarty due to the high chance of failure. By late February, speculation over the opposition leader's future was being reported in the media, although he was expected to survive in the short term due to lack of options with 15 MPs remaining in the lower house. [cite news|last=Henderson|first=Nick|title=Evans has the aura of a defeated man|work=The Advertiser|pages=11|date=24 February 2007] [cite news|last=Naughton|first=Kevin|title=Drums beat for Mr Who|work=Sunday Mail|pages=9|date=25 February 2007] [cite news|last=Bildstien|first=Craig|title=Evans warned of coup backlash|work=The Advertiser|pages=2|date=27 February 2007] Initial reports suggested previous aspirant Martin Hamilton-Smith might challenge for the position, with Isobel Redmond as deputy. [cite news|last=Kelton|first=Greg|title=Strong support for Hamilton-Smith as leader Evans will not last the year|work=The Advertiser|pages=13|date=30 March 2007] [cite news|title=Do SA a big favour, Iain - step down (Editorial)|work=The Advertiser|pages=39|date=1 April 2007]

In early April, Hamilton-Smith announced his leadership intentions to challenge Evans. [ [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21534553-5006301,00.html Lib leader Iain Evans faces spill] "The Advertiser", 10 April, 2007. Retrieved on 10 April, 2007.] Former Liberal Premier Kerin offered his opinion that Hamilton-Smith should and would fail, [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21538129-601,00.html Party must back Evans, says former Liberal Premier] "The Australian", 11 April, 2007. Retrieved on 11 April, 2007.] however on 11 April 2007, Hamilton-Smith defeated Evans on 13 votes to 10, becoming the new Liberal opposition leader after deputy leader Vickie Chapman offered her support to him.

Upon fellow Liberal Alexander Downer's retirement from Federal politics, Evans announced his nomination for Liberal preselection in the 2008 Mayo by-election. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/02/2291667.htm Key SA Lib considers run for Mayo - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)] ] [ [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23987886-2682,00.html AdelaideNow... State MP Iain Evans to run in Alexander Downer's seat of Mayo] ] The preselection plebiscite was held to be held on 22 July, [ [http://news.smh.com.au/national/nine-seek-liberal-preselection-in-mayo-20080709-3cfv.html Nine seek Liberal preselection in Mayo - Breaking News - National - Breaking News] ] but was brought forward to 20 July, with former Howard staffer chiefly for WorkChoices, Jamie Briggs, winning preselection, with Evans coming second. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/national/howard-adviser-in-mayo-20080720-3i97.html Howard adviser in Mayo: The Age 21/7/2008] ] Bob Day, who held membership of the Liberal Party for 20 years, and the endorsed Liberal candidate for Makin in 2007, quit the party after failing in his bid to win Mayo preselection, citing a "manipulated" preselection process. [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24087075-2702,00.html Loyal Lib quits over Mayo: The Australian 28/7/2008] ] Evans agreed to some extent. [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24093560-5013871,00.html Liberal chief Iain Evans admits to Mayo concerns: The Australian 29/7/2008] ]

References

External links

* [http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/Internet/DesktopModules/memberdrill.aspx?pid=563 Parliament of South Australia: MP Profile]
* [http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/davenport.htm Poll Bludger electorate profile]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2006/s1602037.htm Stateline (ABC TV) 24-Mar-2006: Can Liberals heal rifts?]
* [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21277763-5006301,00.html The Advertiser: Evans has the aura of a defeated man]
* [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21275309-5006787,00.html The Australian: Lib leaders at loggerheads]