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http://bigpondvideo.com/NewsOnDemand/479042/ Watch the video South Australian opposition leader Isobel Redmond's senior media adviser has resigned, increasing pressure on the Liberal leader. Nic Nolan, senior media adviser to Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond, resigned on Monday, adding to a string of departures over the past year, including former chief of staff Andrew Coombe in May. The leader's office confirmed Mr Nolan had left but declined to reveal a reason or offer further comment. His exit follows a gaffe last week when Liberal frontbench MP David Pisoni made an allegedly sexist comment about Education Minister Grace Portolesi. Mr Pisoni apologised to the minister for the remark, which was included in a draft media release criticising the government's education policies. 'If schools received a dollar every time Education Minister Grace Portolesi wore her black leather skirt it would raise thousands,' said the release, which was sent to the Nine Network in Adelaide. At the time Mr Nolan said heads would roll over the incident, but there were reports on Monday that his decision to quit was unrelated. While Ms Portolesi brushed off Mr Pisoni's slur, Mr Weatherill said there was a pattern of behaviour emerging from the SA Liberals. He said Mr Nolan's departure was more evidence of the internal divisions within the opposition. 'Obviously they're in turmoil and there are leadership tensions within the Liberal Party,' the premier said on Monday. 'It must be an extraordinarily difficult job to perform while you're being consistently undermined.' After last week's gaffe, Ms Redmond issued a one-line statement saying she had dealt with the matter internally and would make no further comment. She went on leave over the weekend but will return this week ahead of the party's state conference on Saturday. How she handles the latest incident and staffing issues in her office could ultimately determine the future of her position with some in the party critical of her performance since narrowly losing the 2010 state election. If she does resign or put her leadership to a vote, the only likely challenger is former leader Martin Hamilton-Smith who has won praise for his attack on the government since becoming the opposition's health spokesman. Mr Weatherill would not be drawn on who he would rather face at the next election in 2014. 'It's just not a matter of interest to me,' he said. 'Whoever they get themselves organised to put up, we'll meet at that time.'

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2012/08/13/SA_Oppn_adviser_quits_after_gaffe_783247.html?cid=ZBP_NEWS_L_L1-9_SAOppnadviserquitsaftergaffe_RSS_130812

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South Australian opposition leader Isobel Redmond's grasp on her job appears sunk today by claims that key federal Liberal MP Jamie Briggs is behind moves to parachute in a replacement. Briggs told InDaily this morning he had made approaches to prominent businessman Ian Smith to take up a seat in State Parliament. "I’ve been urging Smith to run for State Parliament for a year, but to say it’s about leadership is wrong -- that’s a matter for the state MPs," Briggs said. "I think [ABC presenters] Matt and Dave have over-egged it." However, the moves have sparked more leadership tensions within the Liberal Party. Dubbed by party insiders as the "Campbell Newman" option, the plan has been linked to suggestions made to Redmond last month that she take the Senate vacancy created by the resignation of Mary Jo Fisher. Newman took over the conservative party leadership in Queensland last year, despite not being an elected MP at the time. His outside appointment was seen as a solution to a leadership vacuum. The Ian Smith plan, however, has already run into trouble -- Smith has ruled it out. ABC Radio’s Matthew Abraham said this morning Smith had confirmed to him that offers were made and ruled out. "He’s confirmed to us that 'yes, I’ve had six approaches in the last year'," Abraham said. "He said he had ruled it out immediately." Redmond has scheduled a media conference for early this afternoon. Smith worked as a journalist for The Advertiser before moving on to political roles, initially with former SA Liberal state leader Dale Baker and later with Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett. These days he runs consultancy business Bespoke Approach with former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer and Labor powerbroker Nick Bolkus. Several Liberal MPs have told InDaily there is barely a single MP who thinks the Redmond leadership has much life left in it. The Briggs revelations now make a spill almost inevitable. Meanwhile, Premier Jay Weatherill seems to be preparing the attack against his next Liberal opponent. Always very cautious in his treatment of Redmond, Weatherill has gone out of his way the past week to express sympathy for his opposite number. Last Thursday, in the wake of the "leather skirt" affair, he stated that the Liberals seemed to have problems with strong women -- including their own leader. "When you see a strong woman, like a Grace Portolesi, or a Chloe Fox or an Isobel Redmond, when they seek to assert themselves they get this locker room sort of humour thrown at them," Weatherill told ABC Radio. Again at a media conference yesterday, he seemed to be offering sympathy to Redmond, remarking how difficult her job must be, given the constant leaking against her. The subtext of course is very clear -- the next opposition leader will have blood on their hands.

http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/follow-the-power/sa-libs-ponder-the-newman-option-as-redmond-falters

Some people need to grow up.

There is NO issue here.

Interest-factor = less than zero.

Sympathy-factor = non-existent.