Rory McClaren
Adelaide, SA
Rory McClaren is a state political reporter with ABC News South Australia. He has covered politics full time at state and federal level since 2015, including stints in Canberra. He joined ABC News in 2021 after working for multiple commercial broadcast and print media organisations. He tweets at @Rory_McClaren
Latest by Rory McClaren
Analysis
analysis:'This blast furnace needs to survive': Inside the latest woes for Whyalla's steelworks
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
The blast furnace at the heart of Australia's last structural steel-making factory hasn't run since mid-March. South Australians and the state government have legitimate reasons to be concerned, writes Rory McClaren.
Hospital's corridor care while overcrowded a 'health and safety risk', union says
Flinders Medical Centre treated patients in corridors during a recent period of high demand, prompting South Australia's doctor's union to report their concerns to the state's safety watchdog.
'Grave concerns': Whyalla steelworks shutdown may take longer than anticipated
By Harvey Biggs and Rory McClaren
GFG Alliance admits the Whyalla steelworks blast furnace has been damaged during efforts to repair it and the company has pushed back its estimate of when it hopes to restart production.
Updated
Whyalla steelworks shutdown leaves town feeling 'on edge'
By Harvey Biggs, Rory McClaren, and Arj Ganesan
Whyalla's steelworks has been offline for more than 50 days amid major problems with its blast furnace, fuelling concerns among some of the city's residents about the plant's long-term viability.
Updated
Analysis
analysis:SA's cabinet reshuffle sees political players climb, slide backwards or fall off the board entirely
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
Cabinet reshuffles can be akin to a game of Snakes and Ladders as all moves were on display in this week's rejig of the South Australian cabinet, writes Rory McClaren.
Dan Cregan to join SA Labor cabinet as minister's resignation has domino effect
By state political reporter Rory McClaren and Harvey Biggs
Independent MP Dan Cregan is set to join the SA Labor cabinet amid a reshuffle that will see a Labor stalwart "temporarily" quit his own party in order to occupy the speakership.
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Analysis
analysis:SA's opposition leader rejects he's on borrowed time despite Dunstan by-election loss
David Speirs says his leadership is secure despite the Liberal Party losing the Dunstan by-election to Labor. He will be counting on housing, tax reform and energy policies to help win back power at the next state election.
Before Drive to Survive, the Adelaide Grand Prix was one of the biggest shows in Formula 1
As the Adelaide Motorsport Festival roars back for another year, tens of thousands of fans descend on Adelaide in scenes reminiscent of the Australian Grand Prix three decades ago.
SA Greens seek reforms requiring property sellers provide pre-purchase building inspections
By Nethma Dandeniya and state political reporter Rory McClaren
The South Australian Greens propose reforms requiring vendors pay for and provide current building inspections on properties for sale, potentially saving buyers thousands of dollars.
Updated
Analysis
analysis:Does mud stick or slide off? Either way, dirt is flying in the battle for Dunstan
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
Political parties launching attacks on opponents during election campaigns has been part of politics for time immemorial. And the start of the Dunstan by-election contest in Adelaide's inner eastern suburbs has hardly bucked the trend, writes Rory McClaren.
Promises, plans and delays: A short history of major naval shipbuilding programs
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
South Australia's defence sector, particularly shipbuilding, has been repeatedly spruiked as an economic boon and a pathway to long term prosperity, particularly in the wake of the demise of the automotive industry — but will what was promised actually be delivered?
South Australian parliament set to ban election posters from power and light poles
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
Election corflutes are set to be banned from public infrastructure after the South Australian government backed laws introduced to state parliament by the opposition leader almost two years ago.
Energy giant accused of breaches after lead exposure during power plant decommissioning
Sean Gibbons says he started experiencing fatigue, stomach upsets, pins and needles in his legs, and insomnia after helping decommission AGL's Torrens Island power plant. A blood test revealed he had lead levels three times higher than recommended.
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Analysis
analysis:All big policy changes take time. But does the South Australian premier have enough?
South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas has always been a politician in a hurry. But now he's calling for time and patience from the public to deliver his platform.
Analysis
analysis:There may not be teals, but could Green votes decide this former premier's successor?
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
Voters in Adelaide's inner east will return to the polls after former South Australian premier Steven Marshall announced his intention to resign from parliament. A rising Green vote in the area could decide who wins the seat.
Updated
Steven Marshall led the SA Liberals out of the political wilderness, but his government lasted just one term
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
Former SA premier Steven Marshall broke a painful 20-year election drought for the Liberals. But his government was ousted after a term, following controversies and a tough health focused election campaign from Labor.
Analysis
analysis:The biggest political hurdles the SA government will face in 2024
By Stephanie Richards and Rory McClaren
The South Australian government has made progress ticking off hundreds of commitments made to taxpayers before the March 2022 election. But it still has a long way to go on key areas like health, integrity and cost-of-living, writes Stephanie Richards and Rory McClaren.
Former Oakden nursing manager who 'ought to have known' about 'appalling abuse' of patients hit with 10-year ban
Julie Harrison worked in a number of roles at Oakden's Older Persons Mental Health facility, which shut in 2017 following a report by the state's chief psychiatrist that uncovered abuse and neglect dating back 10 years.
Four projects and more than $780 million: Why SA water bills could get more expensive
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
South Australia's water corporation has proposed bill increases to fund four projects, and the rest of the water network, over the next four years. So what are the projects?
SA Water seeks to increase water bills 3.5 per cent above inflation in latest business plan
By state political reporter Rory McClaren
The corporation says the increases could equal a $71 a year increase over the next four years, but are required to maintain service standards and meet its expenditure requirements.
Green energy giant gifts ‘hidden gem’ for national park as transition worries pile up
By Daniel Mercer and Rory McClaren
As green energy players are going to greater lengths in a bid to secure support, the French company behind South Australia's massive Goyder renewables project has handed over the nearby Worlds End Gorge as a new SA national park.
Updated
Dozens seek compensation over major cochlear implant bungle at children's hospital
By state political reporter Rory McClaren and Stephanie Richards
More than 120 families whose children were caught up in the cochlear implant bungle at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital have sought payments from the South Australian government.
Updated
Adelaide's university merger backed by state opposition, with promises of more Flinders funding
By Stephanie Richards and Rory McClaren
The opposition said the merger was "too big to fail", but also flagged their own commitments should they form government after the 2026 state election.
Will government intervention get Travis out of a frosty caravan and into a home?
The South Australian government has announced funding for housing, firefighting and mobile coverage in the south-east.
Universities of Adelaide and South Australia will merge after government secures enough support to pass legislation
By Stephanie Richards and Rory McClaren
The government says the new institution is set to become the largest educator of domestic students in the country