Election 2018: Steven Marshall leads South Australian Liberal Party to stunning victory

PREMIER-ELECT Steven Marshall will form a Liberal government in SA for the first time in 16 years, after a dramatic state election which ended as an almost complete bust for the new third force in state politics led by former senator Nick Xenophon.

• SA ELECTION HQ: All our coverage and latest counting
• Election night as it happened: Our live coverage
• Analysis: Challenge for Marshall is to live up to his promises
• Defeated SA Best Leader rules out return to federal politics
• Marshall’s hospital dash for mum in final run

PREMIER-ELECT Steven Marshall will form a Liberal government in SA for the first time in 16 years, after a dramatic state election which ended as an almost complete bust for the new third force in state politics led by former senator Nick Xenophon.

The Liberals on Saturday night were laying claim to the magical number of 24 seats needed to form government in their own right.

In the process, they denied SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon in his bid to make a return to State Parliament through the Lower House seat of Hartley.

Mr Marshall entered the Hackney Hotel to be greeted by screaming supporters witnessing their first local election victory since last millennium.

“I thank the people of South Australia. We specifically asked them to give us a majority government because we know that a majority government will be able to drive the reform agenda that we so desperately need here in SA,” Mr Marshall said.

Premier-elect Steven Marshall speaks to the party faithful at the Hackney Hotel on Saturday night. Picture: Calum Robertson

“I thank the people of South Australia for doing that and I absolutely guarantee, I give you my commitment that I and every single person in the team will be working diligently every day over the next four years so that we can build a brighter future, a better future for SA.”

Mr Marshall saved special plaudits for Liberal MP Vincent Tarzia, who beat Mr Xenophon in Hartley, pulling him on stage to cheers from party faithful.

“It must have been a very big shock when you find out Nick Xenophon is running against you,” Mr Marshall said.

“Most people at that point in time would have thought, ‘this is not going to happen, I’m going to throw in the towel’.

“Did he throw in the towel? No way! He redoubled his efforts and they’ve been rewarded.”

Labor Premier Jay Weatherill concedes defeat to Liberal Leader Steven Marshall to the party faithful in Adelaide. AAP Image/David Mariuz

SA Best finished the night with an outside chance of taking Heysen in the Adelaide Hills from the Liberals and Tourism Minister Leon Bignell’s seat of Mawson was too close to call.

Failure in Heysen would leave SA Best with no seats, a huge collapse after it outpolled the major parties in December.

The best-case scenario for the Liberals was to win both of those seats and claim a solid 26-seat majority. Also set for re-election is former Liberal Troy Bell, now an independent, in Mount Gambier.

Former kingmaker Geoff Brock, who backed Labor into power at the last election, will return in the new parliament alongside a third independent in Frances Bedford.

The path to victory for the Liberals was largely set by a massive redraw to boundaries delivered in the wake of the last election, where they won the statewide vote 53-47 but not the seats required for government.

The Liberals claimed Elder (Pasadena), Colton (Henley Beach) and Newland. All were held by Labor but swung to the Liberals’ advantage by the redraw.

The Liberals are also firm favourites to claim the Labor seat of King (Golden Grove).

SA-Best leader Nick Xenophon lost to the Liberal incumbent for the seat of Hartley. Vincent Tarzia.

Labor fears of a possible SA Best rout through its industrial heartland in Adelaide’s northern suburbs were not realised, and the party also retained the Whyalla-based seat of Giles.

Labor leader Jay Weatherill apologised to his supporters for being unable to “bring home another victory”.

“I do feel like one of those horses that has won four Melbourne Cups and ... and I think the handicap has caught up with us,” he said.

“One thing I want to talk about ... is this extraordinary 16 years of achievement of this state Labor government.

“Whether it’s the transformation of the South Australian economy, it (SA) is a completely different and more diverse and stronger place than it was 16 years ago. The city of Adelaide is a vibrant, exciting, and thriving part of our community.”

Mr Weatherill did not comment on his future as party leader and if he planned to remain in the job. Should he quit, former health minister Peter Malinauskas is tipped to take over.

Cartoonist Peter MacMullin's take on the election result.

Mr Xenophon ruled out returning to federal politics after state election failure. He acknowledged his result in Hartley was “disappointing” but refused to give up hope.

He hailed the likely election of two Upper House candidates for the start-up party.

“It’s a start. It means that we’ll have a presence in SA Parliament,” he said. “I’m a pesky persistent bastard, I’m not going to be going anywhere.”

Mr Xenophon admitted he’d been spread too thin during the campaign.

“I’ve acknowledged that but I was too worried about other candidates,” he said. “I think that I thought I’d do the right thing by candidates by giving them as much support as possible.”