Rodney Weston Sawford (born 26 June 1944), Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1988, representing the Division of Port Adelaide, South Australia. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia, and was educated at Western Teachers College, Adelaide. He was a teacher before entering politics, serving as the principal of the local Taperoo Primary School. He prides himself on the fact that he and his forbears have lived in the electorate for many generations. June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... Australian House of Representatives chamber Entrance to the House of Representatives The Australian House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... The Division of Port Adelaide is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of South Australia. ... Emblems: Hairy Nosed Wombat (faunal); Leafy Seadragon (marine); Piping Shrike (bird: unofficial); Sturts Desert Pea (floral); Opal (gemstone) Motto: United for the Common Wealth Slogan or Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Const. ... Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1. ... Emblems: Hairy Nosed Wombat (faunal); Leafy Seadragon (marine); Piping Shrike (bird: unofficial); Sturts Desert Pea (floral); Opal (gemstone) Motto: United for the Common Wealth Slogan or Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Const. ... Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1. ...

He was a member of the previously dominant Centre-Left faction, which is now defunct, and is now classified as a member of the "independents" faction.

He vocally spoke out against current Labor leader Kim Beazley, when he attempted to regain the leadership from former leader Simon Crean in 2003, again when Beazley contested the leadership with Mark Latham in December 2003, and again in 2005, when Beazley reassumed the leadership following Latham's retirement. For Kim Beazleys father, Kim Beazley senior, see Kim Edward Beazley. ... Simon Findlay Crean (born 26 February 1949) is an Australian politician. ... Mark Latham Mark William Latham (born 28 February 1961), an Australian politician, was Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005. ...

His electoral office was burnt down in an overnight fire in 2004.

Sawford was a Deputy Government Whip 1994-96 and a Deputy Opposition Whip 1996-2001.

Sawford has announced his resignation as of the 2007 federal election. He will not be attempting to run as an independent candidate in the 2010 South Australian State Election as some have reported, even though he has made the issue of the sale of Cheltenham Race Course (Private property owned by the SAJC, not government) and loss of open space to development. The next Australian legislative election is expected to take place in 2007, although it can be held as late as 19 January 2008. ...

It is expected that a leader of the SA Left faction willbe preselected to run as the ALP Candidate for the safe ALP seat at the next Federal Election, expected in late 2007.