The quiet Australians: How Adelaide bellwether booth of Broadview will decide the election

A bellwether booth among Labor dominated Adelaide, has bucked the trend and voted Liberal since 2013. Could it predict the election once again and prove polls are pointless?

A shock election landslide seeing the Liberals again rise to power could be incoming, according to a bellwether booth in Labor heartland.

Despite being nestled in the federal Adelaide electorate held by Labor since 2004, the Broadview Uniting Church polling booth has produced a result at odds with its neighbours.

The inner-metropolitan suburb in Adelaide’s north, which has come to invite residents from places like South America and India, may be shifting the dial towards the Liberals.

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Bob, 76, and Jenny, 71, Schahinger will both vote Liberal and they joined a cohort of their neighbours indicating a shock swing could be on the cards.

Mr Schahinger, a Vietnam War veteran, said he had voted Libs since joining the navy because of the way servicemen were treated by unions at the time.

“The way the unions treated us was absolutely abhorrent and that changed me, because I had come from a Labor family,” he said.

“I saw what they could do to ordinary people and I was absolutely disgusted.”

Regular Liberal voter Mrs Schahinger said the party had her support because it supported “people who get out there, work hard and take risks”.

Broadview voters Bob and Jenny Schahinger. Picture: Brinley Duggan

In 2019, the polling booth voted heavily for Liberal candidate Shaun Osborn ahead of Labor journeyman Steve Georganas and elicited a 6 per cent swing towards the party.

Greens candidate Barbara Pocock also saw 5 per cent of first preference votes swing her way as all candidates benefited from the disbanding of the Nick Xenophon Team.

Just 5km away at Kilburn, Mr Georganas more than doubled Mr Osborn’s first preference votes 909 to 347, highlighting the importance of the Broadview booth.

Vikran Hauhan, a 52-year-old lift technician, was another voter in the area indicating the booth would continue to turn the tide in the electorate.

“I just think the Liberals overall have better policies and I prefer their policies on border control,” he said.

Tony and Gay, both 77 and who preferred not to use their surname, were staunch Liberal supporters who said they would again be voting for Scott Morrison because he had been “doing a good job”.

While lifelong federal Liberal voter Craig Dontas, 42, said he would be voting the same way again.

Broadview voter Craig Dontas. Picture: Jason Katsaras

While it appeared as though the Liberal party would again take the church booth, several voters, who classed themselves as swing voters, were undecided.

Alex Jimenez, 52, and Lily Rojas, 48, originally from Colombia, said they would decided who to vote for based on who would make the most impact for SA infrastructure and growth.

Broadview voters Alex Jimenez and Lily Rojas. Picture: Brinley Duggan

Paula Summers, 41, was not thrilled with either Scott Morrison or Anthony Albanese and was waiting to make her choice while Karen Harper, 52, was swinging towards the Liberal party based on the PMs handling of Australia-China relations.

Broadview voter Chris Seaton. Picture: Brinley Duggan

But retired postal worker Chris Seaton, 66, believed the Liberals had squandered their chance to again secure his swinging vote.

“I tend to feel as though I’ll give (the party) four years and if they’re not improving or they don’t keep to their word, I’ll vote them out,” he said.

The difference between Mr Seaton and Mrs Harper could be what decides the Broadview Uniting Church booth.