The Philhellene former South Australian Premier Mike Rann has ended his 26-year parliamentary career, handing in his resignation on the 13th of January.
After announcing details of his plans to leave the parliament earlier this week, Mr. Rann made it official by tendering his resignation as the member for the northern suburbs seat of Ramsay.
Mr. Rann’s decision to retire was also sped up due to his wife’s health condition, as she is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast and lymph node cancer.
As well as serving as a state MP for 26 years, he was Labor leader for 17 years and premier for more than nine years. He stood down as premier in October of last year after Labor’s left and right factions united behind Jay Weatherill to lead the government in the next state election in 2014.
Mr. Rann first entered the SA parliament in 1985, and became Labor leader in 1994 when the party had been reduced to just 10 seats at the state election.
In 1998 he narrowed the Liberal government’s majority and then returned the ALP to power in 2002 with a controversial victory, secured only after an independent MP agreed to support a minority Labor government.
In 2010 Labor narrowly won a third term despite allegations from former parliamentary waitress Michelle Chantelois that she had been involved in an affair with the premier.
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