In contrast to federal politics and in some other states, the Nationals do not have a coalition agreement with the Liberal Party in South Australia.
In October 2013 Karlene Maywald during a conversation about this period with political scientist, Dr Haydon Manning from Flinders University, stressed that it is erroneous, as some have argued, to refer her acceptance of a ministry with the Rann Government as representing a 'coalition' with Labor.
Professor Andrew Parkin, writing the South Australian Political Chronicle for the Australian Journal of Politics and History observed that 'Maywald attributed her acceptance of the offer of a ministerial place to the lure of the new River Murray portfolio: "I thought long and hard about it and what was in the best interests of my electorate, my family, the state and the River Murray" (Advertiser, 23 July 2004).
Still Maywald claimed to be "very supportive of John Anderson", her party's national leader, and she hoped the Howard Coalition Government, rather than her new Labor allies, would be returned to office in the Federal election (Advertiser, 24 July 2004).
In due course, the Howard Government was indeed returned—and in December the South Australian branch quietly reattached itself to the rest of the National Party.'
[3] Maywald lost her seat of Chaffey to Liberal candidate Tim Whetstone in the 2010 election[4] after a two-candidate preferred swing of 20 percent.