Jay Weatherill pledges more time for his family after conceding election to Steven Marshall

AS he conceded defeat, the man who has run the state for the past seven-plus years told his daughters “you’re about to get your daddy back”.

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JAY Weatherill’s daughters are “getting their daddy back”.

The man who has run the state for the past seven-plus years managed to hold on to his electorate yesterday but had to concede government last night.

In is concession speech to the Labor faithful, Mr Weatherill apologised that he could not “bring home another victory” and thanked his family for their support.

“I can tell to my two little girls, you’re about to get your daddy back,” he said with a smile.

Mr Weatherill has pledged to stay on to represent the western suburbs electorate of Cheltenham in Opposition.

With the step down in responsibility, he promised he would have the time “to be a better husband” to his wife Melissa.

“I promise to be a better son to my mother and my father. I promise to be a better brother to my two brothers,” Mr Weatherill said.

Jay Weatherill with his wife Melissa during his concession speech. Picture: AAP / Dean Martin

He also joked that he might have some free time to enjoy some of the fruits of his government’s efforts to improve the state.

“The city of Adelaide is a vibrant, exciting and thriving place,” he said.

“It would be wrong of me not to mention the small bars ... we might be able to spend some more time there,” he added, motioning to his Attorney-General and City of Adelaide Minister John Rau, with a laugh.

Mr Weatherill also cited “international leadership on renewable energy” and a “transformation in the South Australian economy” as hallmarks of his time in office.

In a gracious and good-natured concession speech to about 250 vocal supporters, Mr Weatherill said he had sought to win, not “save the furniture” for a future Labor Party.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring home another victory, but I do feel like one of those horses that has won four Melbourne Cups and now I think the handicap has caught up with us on this occasion,” he said.

“Losses occur. But we should be proud. By God we gave it a hell of a run.”

Mr Weatherill paid tribute to his predecessor, former Premier Mike Rann, whom he played a key role in ousting from office in late 2011.

The last remaining member of the original Rann cabinet, he reminisced about Labor’s “extraordinary achievement to fight back from Opposition” in 2002.

“Back in those days I was number 13 out of 13 (ministers). I managed to climb the greasy pole and now I’m standing here,” he declared.

“There are not too many more important things in this role than to leave the place better than you found it and I think we can say that.”

Earlier, as he cast his vote in Queenstown, Mr Weatherill had said every last vote would be crucial to the eventual outcome, as they were in the last by-election in Fisher (now Hurtle Vale) where Labor won by just nine votes.

“With a nine vote margin, that’s one family turning up and deciding to vote a different way,’’ Mr Weatherill said.

“You really do have to campaign all the way to the line.”