SA election 2018: How the result is shaping up in your electorate
TWO seats still hang in the balance, a handful of others are not quite certain yet but for the majority of electorates the winner is clear. Here’s how the result is shaping up in all 47 seats.
SA 2018
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA 2018. Followed categories will be added to My News.
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- Live blog: Post-election updates as the transfer of power starts
- Marshall: Our new Premier and what he’s promising
- Weatherill: Jay tells daughters ‘you’re getting daddy back’
- Xenophon: Defeated SA Best Leader rules out return to Canberra
TWO seats still hang in the balance in the SA state election — Adelaide (the CBD and inner northern suburbs), and Mawson (southern suburbs, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island).
Heysen in the Adelaide Hills had been in doubt at the end of election night but now looks increasingly likely to end up with the Liberals rather than SA Best
Adelaide came back into contention for Labor in Sunday counting and is now too close to call. Uncertainty around preference flows mean Mawson is also on a knife-edge and may not be decided for days.
Here’s how the result is shaping up in your electorate:
ADELAIDE
Incumbent: Rachel Sanderson (Lib)
Predicted winner: In doubt
A counting error discovered at a polling booth yesterday put Labor’s Jo Chapley narrowly in front of sitting Liberal MP Rachel Sanderson. The seat is now too close to call, although Liberal strategists are confident that postal votes will favour their candidate.
BADCOE
Outgoing member: Steph Key (ALP)
Predicted winner: Jayne Stinson (ALP)
FORMER journalist Jayne Stinson looked likely to win the seat over Liberal candidate and former Unley mayor Lachlan Clyne.
Ms Stinson had 40 per cent of the first preference vote with 66 per cent of votes counted. “People are giving me good feedback about what Labor has done and what I’ve done in our local community,” she says.
BLACK
Outgoing member: Corey Wingard (Lib)
Predicted winner: David Speirs (Lib)
LIBERAL MP David Speirs looked sure to take the seat with 50.4 per cent of the vote ahead of Labor’s Randall Wilson on 32.67 per cent with 70 per cent of the vote counted.
The inner southwestern suburban seat of Black was created following the redrawing of boundaries which merged Mitchell and Bright.
BRAGG
Incumbent: Vickie Chapman (Lib)
Predicted winner: Vickie Chapman (Lib)
DEPUTY Liberal Leader and party stalwart Vickie Chapman has held on to her safe seat of Bragg.
Early results showed her with more than 60 per cent of the first-preference vote.
Ms Chapman has held the Burnside-based seat since 2002.
CHAFFEY
Incumbent: Tim Whetstone (Lib)
Predicted winner: Tim Whetstone (Lib)
LIBERAL frontbencher Tim Whetstone was poised to withstand a challenge from SA Best rival Michelle Campbell to secure the Riverland seat of Chaffey.
With 70 per cent of the vote counted, Ms Campbell had 25.2 per cent but Mr Whetstone had won an almost impregnable 44.8 per cent.
CHELTENHAM
Incumbent: Jay Weatherill (ALP)
Predicted winner: Jay Weatherill (ALP)
JAY Weatherill has been re-elected to his western suburbs’ seat for the fifth time. Going into yesterday’s poll it was Labor’s third safest seat, held by a margin of 14.4 per cent. Mr Weatherill had 53.4 per cent of the primary vote with 69 per cent of the vote counted.
COLTON
Outgoing member: Paul Caica (ALP)
Predicted winner: Matt Cowdrey (Lib)
AUSTRALIA’S greatest Paralympian Matt Cowdrey was in the box seat to regain the western suburbs seat of Colton for the Liberal Party.
The 29-year-old has 47 per cent of the vote, with 66 per cent counted.
“I’m feeling really good and really positive, and I think the vibe out there today was really quite strong,” Mr Cowdrey said.
CROYDON
Outgoing member: Michael Atkinson (ALP)
Predicted winner: Peter Malinauskas (ALP)
PETER Malinauskas, switching from the upper house, was all but assured his expected victory in the inner western Adelaide ALP stronghold of Croydon.
He will take over the party’s safest seat from retiring Speaker Michael Atkinson.
Mr Malinauskas had secured 60.2 per cent of the vote with 68 per cent of votes counted.
DAVENPORT
Incumbent: Sam Duluk (Lib)
Predicted winner: Steve Murray (Lib)
LIBERAL hopeful Steve Murray looks likely to win replacing his colleague Sam Duluk.
Mr Murray had 40.8 per cent of the votes ahead of Labor’s Jonette Thorsteinsen on 24.3 per cent.
Mr Duluk represented Waite following the redraw of electoral boundaries.
DUNSTAN
Incumbent: Steven Marshall (Lib)
Predicted winner: Steven Marshall (Lib)
LIBERAL leader Steven Marshall has begun the process of becoming South Australia’s new Premier following his decisive victory over Labor’s Jay Weatherill.
It is the first time in 16 years that the state will be governed by the Liberals.
Mr Weatherill conceded last night, paving the way for Mr Marshall, who has represented Dunstan since 2010, to begin forming his new government.
Mr Marshall has told a media conference he will implement all of the pledges made by the Liberals during the election campaign.
ELDER
Incumbent: Annabel Digance (ALP)
Predicted winner: Carolyn Habib (Lib)
ANNABEL Digance refused to concede Elder to Liberal candidate Carolyn Habib, saying it was “jumping around”, despite looking like it would fall to the Liberals.
The inner-southern seat looked as though it would be claimed by Ms Habib, with 53.5 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote after 62 per cent of ballots were counted.
Ms Digance won the seat as a first-time MP in 2014 by 1.8 per cent.
Ms Habib was coy about declaring victory but was hoping for a win.
“My feeling is it’s looking very positive for a Liberal gain but obviously it hasn’t officially been declared,” she said.
“I’m humbled by the support, really excited about positives and I look forward to all the count being finished.”
The redistribution of electoral boundaries last year dramatically changed Elder, removing seven areas and gaining nine — most formerly in Waite.
ELIZABETH
Incumbent: Lee Odenwalder (ALP)
Predicted winner: Lee Odenwalder (ALP)
LEE Odenwalder has secured a third term in Labor’s northern suburbs heartland.
He had 52.6 per cent of the vote with 67 per cent of votes counted.
ENFIELD
Incumbent: John Rau (ALP)
Predicted winner: John Rau (ALP)
OUTGOING Attorney-General John Rau has retained his inner northern suburbs seat despite uncertainty before the poll.
Mr Rau had 58.6 per cent of the two-party preferred vote ahead of Liberal Deepa Mathew on 41.4 per cent.
FINNISS
Outgoing member: Michael Pengilly (Lib)
Predicted winner: David Basham (Lib)
LIBERAL David Basham was on track to claim the seat of Finniss, despite a spirited show from SA Best’s Joe Hill.
With almost 50 per cent of the vote counted, he had more than 53 of the vote on a two- party-preferred basis to Mr Hill on 46.4 per cent.
The normally safe Liberal seat straddling the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island was in play because of the retirement of MP Michael Pengilly and victory by Nick Xenophon Team’s Rebekha Sharkie in the region’s federal seat of Mayo, giving SA Best hope that it could swipe a critical win from the Libs.
FLINDERS
Incumbent: Peter Treloar (Lib)
Predicted winner: Peter Treloar (Lib)
LIBERAL Peter Treloar has retained the blue-ribbon Eyre Peninsula seat of Flinders.
The seat, which covers most of Eyre Peninsula and includes Port Lincoln, has been in conservative hands since 1941.
With 51 per cent counted, Mr Treloar had 69.4 per cent with his nearest rival, Labor’s Julie Watson, on 16 per cent.
FLOREY
Incumbent: Frances Bedford (Ind)
Predicted winner: Frances Bedford (Ind)
FRANCES Bedford is set to hang on to the seat she has represented since 1997, with 56.4 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote, ahead of Labor’s Rik Morris on 43.6 per cent.
Ms Bedford was a Labor MP for two decades before becoming an independent last year after being passed over for party preselection.
FROME
Incumbent: Geoff Brock (Ind)
Predicted winner: Geoff Brock (Ind)
THERE will be no deals, no ministerial portfolios and no pizza for Geoff Brock, but he’s happy enough to have regained all of his independence.
Mr Brock, who in 2014 was convinced to hand his parliamentary vote to Labor after negotiations over the now famous meal, retained his seat of Frome but the new Liberal Government will not need his vote to govern.
Surrounded by supporters at his Port Pirie home last night and reluctant to claim victory even as all pundits called the seat his, the independent MP was philosophical about losing his spot at the leadership table.
“That’s not a concern of mine,” he said, pointing out that he had been a crossbencher for most of his political career.
He would continue to “ deal with ministers directly” on behalf of his electorate.
Mr Brock said he was surprised the poll had been clearly decided on election night and had expected neither major party to have the numbers to govern alone.
“But it looks like from what I’m seeing in the polls at the moment that the Xenophon vote has collapsed, and that was the contributing factor to the uncertainty. What we need is a government that can focus on the state and do the right thing and as a crossbencher, that’s my job (to keep the government focused).”
GIBSON
Outgoing member: David Speirs (Lib)
Predicted winner: Corey Wingard (Lib)
COREY Wingard is set to become Gibson’s first MP, riding on a wave of Liberal support last night.
Mr Wingard, who held the now defunct seat of Mitchell before the election, had a convincing lead over his opponents, with 58 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote, ahead of SA Best’s 42 per cent.
GILES
Incumbent member: Eddie Hughes (ALP)
Predicted winner: Eddie Hughes (ALP)
EDDIE Hughes saw off a challenge from SA Best hopeful and Whyalla businessman Tom Antonio to retain his seat.
Hughes had 60.4 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote with nearly 60 per cent of votes counted.
HAMMOND
Incumbent: Adrian Pederick (Lib)
Predicted winner: Adrian Pederick (Lib)
SITTING on a very safe 61 per cent vote on a two-party-preferred basis in the rural South-East electorate, Mr Pederick has been returned to the seat he has held since 2006.
HARTLEY
Incumbent: Vincent Tarzia (Lib)
Predicted winner: Vincent Tarzia (Lib)
LIBERAL incumbent Vincent Tarzia has defeated SA Best leader Nick Xenophon and held the seat of Hartley.
The northeastern seat was under the spotlight, with Mr Xenophon and Labor’s Grace Portelesi contesting the seat.
Mr Tarzia had polled 58.6 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis to Mr Xenophon’s 41.4 per cent.
HEYSEN
Outgoing member: Isobel Redmond (Lib)
Predicted winner: Josh Teague (Lib)
IT was tipped to hold the core of the SA Best vote but the Adelaide Hills seat appears set to remain in Liberal hands — although victory is not yet certain.
Liberal candidate Josh Teague was ahead on 51.5 per cent on a two-candidate preferred basis, with 72 per cent of the vote counted.
Despite it being a traditionally safe Liberal area, Mr Teague faced a tough battle against the forces of Nick Xenophon.
The lawyer replaced MP Isobel Redmond, who held the seat with a comfortable 12.2 per cent margin as the Liberal candidate, after the former party leader decided to retire.
Federally, the Hills has been represented by hardworking Xenophon acolyte Rebekha Sharkie since 2016, when she usurped Liberal Jamie Briggs.
Early on, Heysen, which includes Aldgate, Clarendon, Echunga, Stirling and Strathalbyn, was tipped as one of SA Best’s brightest hopes.
The Hills also have a history of supporting a third party power, having been the Democrats’ heartland in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
SA Best candidate John Illingworth remained hopeful last night. “I think we are doing pretty well but it will come down to preferences,” he said.
“I was very disappointed that some of the other parties chose to put us so low (on their how-to-vote cards) but I think a lot of people will have made their own minds up.”
HURTLE VALE
Incumbent: Nat Cook (ALP)
Predicted winner: Nat Cook (ALP)
JUST nine votes got Nat Cook over the line in a 2014 by-election but last night she was feeling “better than ever”.
Ms Cook, who has a strong local following in the southern-suburbs seat, had 56.8 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote with 67 per cent of the vote counted, all but assuring her return to Parliament.
KAURNA
Incumbent: Chris Picton (ALP)
Predicted winner: Chris Picton (ALP)
LABOR’S Chris Picton retained his southern-suburbs seat of Kaurna, holding 66.3 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote to Liberal Simon McMahon on 33.7 per cent with 67 per cent of the votes counted.
The former police minister was elected to the seat at the 2014 poll and was confident of a strong showing.
KAVEL
Outgoing member: Mark Goldsworthy (Lib)
Predicted winner: Dan Cregan (Lib)
THE Liberal Party has fought off a challenge from SA Best in Kavel — Liberal candidate and lawyer Dan Cregan was too strong for SA Best candidate Andrew Stratford. Mr Stratford said it was a “David and Goliath battle” and that despite being the underdog, he had received positive feedback.
KING
Outgoing member: Jon Gee (ALP)
Predicted winner: Paula Luethen (Lib)
LIBERAL candidate and Tea Tree Gully councillor Paula Luethen was slightly ahead of Labor’s Julie Duncan in early counting in the new seat of King.
With about half the votes counted, Ms Luethen led Ms Duncan with 51 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote.
Ms Duncan said the count was “still unclear”.
LEE
Incumbent: Stephen Mullighan (ALP)
Predicted winner: Stephen Mullighan (ALP)
TRANSPORT Minister Stephen Mullighan has defied expectations he would struggle to hold on to his seat of Lee, comfortably defeating his Liberal challenger.
Lee, in Adelaide’s northwestern suburbs, had become a marginal seat after last year’s redistribution by the Electoral Commission.
Mr Mullighan has long been viewed as a rising star in Labor, even potentially leadership material along with former health minister Peter Malinauskas, so to lose him from the ranks would be a blow to the party.
He defeated West Torrens councillor Steven Rypp, leading him 55-45 on a two-party preferred basis ahead of the counting of pre-poll and postal votes later in the week.
LIGHT
Incumbent: Tony Piccolo (ALP)
Predicted winner: Tony Piccolo (ALP)
LABOR’s Tony Piccolo is quietly confident of retaining his seat and extending his tenure to 16 years.
He was upbeat following advice that he could expect a 0.5 to 0.8 per cent bump in his margin following an electoral redistribution in 2016. In the redistribution Light became a largely urban district.
MACKILLOP
Outgoing member: Mitch Williams (Lib)
Predicted winner: Nick McBride (Lib)
GRAZIER Nick McBride was on track to retain the safe South-East seat of MacKillop for the Liberals. Mr McBride replaces retiring MP Mitch Williams, who left with a healthy 26.7 per cent margin.
The Liberals had been concerned early in the campaign about the threat posed by SA Best candidate Tracy Hill. MacKillop includes the coastal towns of Beachport and Robe and rural centres of Bordertown, Keith and Penola.
MAWSON
Incumbent: Leon Bignell (ALP)
Predicted winner: In doubt
WHEN the polls finally closed and their political fates were sealed but not yet known, rivals Leon Bignell and Andy Gilfillan did what all good sports should do — shared a drink.
Labor’s Mr Bignell, who had held the marginal seat of Mawson since 2006, and Liberal candidate Mr Gilfillan, toasted a hard-fought campaign with Pale Ales at the Alma Hotel at Willunga shortly after 6pm.
The men enjoyed a cold one after a long, windy day of handing out how to vote cards, as counting got under way to determine the fate of the seat, which has almost always been won by the party which forms government.
“We get on well and decided the honourable thing to do when the polls closed was to have a quiet beer — it’s the Australian way,” Mr Bignell said.
“The fact two rival candidates can have a drink together after a long campaign shows the strength of the system. The people have spoken — now we wait to see what they said.”
Mr Gilfillan, a Kangaroo Island sheep farmer, was happy to pause for a moment of reflection after an intense day campaigning on KI and the mainland.
“I think we have been going pretty well. It has been a long campaign but well organised and I am hopeful,” he said.
“I’ve been to every booth in the electorate bar two — it looks like a nailbiter but we’ve done all we can.”
Mr Bignell has faced a redistribution of the seat, which saw the inclusion of Liberal-leaning KI, Myponga and Yankalilla. The rise of SA Best added complications — candidate Hazel Wainwright is an Onkaparinga City councillor with a solid profile in Mawson’s suburban areas.
Early counting had Mr Gilfillan ahead on primary votes last night, however preferences are set to decide the cliffhanger and the final result is unlikely to be clear for days because of 7000 postal votes.
MORIALTA
Incumbent: John Gardner (Lib)
Predicted winner: John Gardner (Lib)
ONE of the Liberal Party’s most high-profile MPs looked set to be returned.
John Gardner, the party’s education spokesman, was expected to retain the northeastern Adelaide seat that he has held since 2010.
He was poised to have held off the “strong” Labor challenger Peter Field and SA Best candidate James Sadler.
MORPHETT
Incumbent: Duncan McFetridge (Ind)
Predicted winner: Stephen Patterson (Lib)
HOLDFAST Bay Mayor Stephen Patterson was back kicking goals for the big boys last night.
The former Collingwood and Norwood Football Club player was last night poised to win the seat of Morphett, clinching it from the hands of veteran MP Duncan McFetridge.
Mr Patterson had secured 59 per cent of the two party-preferred vote at presstime, compared with Labor’s 41 per cent.
Former veterinarian, Duncan McFetridge, last night said “we’re not conceding yet — far from it”. “There’s a significant part of the vote to be counted yet,” he said.
Dr McFetridge spent about $60,000 on his campaign as an independent, after losing Liberal preselection to Mr Patterson.
MOUNT GAMBIER
Incumbent: Troy Bell (Ind)
Predicted winner: Troy Bell (Ind)
TROY Bell, the Liberal-turned-independent MP facing multiple charges of stealing taxpayer funds, was last night upbeat about securing a second-term representing the seat of Mt Gambier despite the allegations levelled against him.
The 44-year-old said early results had him feeling positive of surviving a challenge from his Liberal Party challenger Craig Marsh who was preselected to the seat following revelations Mr Bell had been charged with 26 counts of misappropriating more than $2 million.
The father-of-three has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over the charges laid last August and which relate to his time operating a State Government-funded independent learning centre before entering Parliament.
Mr Bell said he was “upbeat” after early booths started falling his way but cautioned victory with about 6500 pre-poll votes — or 30 per cent of all votes — still to be accounted for.
“I’ve done a good job over the past four years and they’ve (voters) got faith in me,” Mr Bell, who resigned from the Liberal Party, said.
“You don’t want to be too presumptuous in this game. I’ve seen three-cornered contests for many, many years and they can throw up some surprising results.”
Mr Bell had 39.5 per cent of the first preference votes ahead of Mr Marsh 25.4 with 11 per cent of votes counted.
NARUNGGA
Outgoing member: Steven Griffiths (Lib)
Predicted winner: Fraser Ellis (Lib)
LIBERAL Party newcomer Fraser Ellis was last night poised to become the youngest MP ever elected to the Yorke Peninsula seat.
The lawyer and journalist, who replaced retiring Liberal MP Steve Griffiths, had polled 46.6 per cent of first-preference votes with 50 per cent of the votes counted, ahead of SA Best candidate and agronomist Sam Davies with 23.4 per cent.
NEWLAND
Incumbent: Tom Kenyon (ALP)
Predicted winner: Richard Harvey (Lib)
LONG-SERVING Labor MP Tom Kenyon has conceded in the state’s most marginal seat after failing to overcome a redraw in his outer northeastern Adelaide electorate.
The former Cabinet minister, 46, needed to find an extra 25 votes in Newland before yesterday’s poll after an electoral boundaries redraw left him with a -0.1 per cent margin.
But an emotional Mr Kenyon, a father of three who retired from the Ministry in 2014 for family reasons, conceded just after 9pm to Liberal challenger, medical research scientist Richard Harvey, 32.
In a seat pivotal for the Liberal Party to form government, the Labor MP, who has held the seat across the northeast and Adelaide Hills since 2006, admitted his mountain was too high to climb.
With more than 14,000 of almost 26,000 votes counted, Mr Harvey had secured 50.7 per cent of the ballots compared to Mr Kenyon’s 49.3.
PLAYFORD
Outgoing member: Jack Snelling (ALP)
Predicted winner: Michael Brown (ALP)
LABOR is expected to retain the seat of Playford, with Michael Brown replacing former health minister Jack Snelling. With about 18 per cent of the seat’s votes counted, Mr Brown said he was “quietly confident” about the outcome.
The seat takes in the suburbs of Green Fields, Mawson Lakes and Parafield.
PORT ADELAIDE
Incumbent: Susan Close (ALP)
Predicted winner: Susan Close (ALP)
EDUCATION Minister Susan Close looks set to hold on to her seat of Port Adelaide despite a swing toward SA Best candidate Gary Johanson.
Early results last night showed Dr Close was likely to retain her seat with 48 per cent of first preference votes going her way.
“I am confident of holding the seat,” Dr Close said.
“I’m feeling reasonably positive but it’s still early days and there’s still a lot of votes that haven’t been counted yet.”
Dr Close has held the seat comfortably for Labor since the 2012 by-election triggered by the resignation of Kevin Foley.
In that time, Port Adelaide has been transformed from a run-down ghost town to an up and coming port city with millions of dollars of private and public investment poured into the district.
The first of 1300 homes on the waterfront are now under construction and more than 20 new businesses have opened in the heritage precinct in the past couple of years.
Dr Close had a battle on her hands this election against long-time Port Adelaide Enfield mayor Gary Johanson who emerged as an SA Best candidate.
Mr Johanson is a popular figure in the Port and has run a strong campaign based on tackling industrial pollution in Port Adelaide. He has pushed back hard against Flinders Ports’ proposal to dredge the Port River and dump 1.55 million cubic metres of silt in Gulf St Vincent.
RAMSAY
Incumbent: Zoe Bettison (ALP)
Predicted winner: Zoe Bettison (ALP)
SITTING member Zoe Bettison was predicted to retain her seat in the Labor stronghold.
Ms Bettison was first elected at the 2012 by-election and again in 2014. This time she went up against Liberal candidate Nick Charles and SA Best’s Tarnia George. Labor holds the seat, which includes Paralowie and Salisbury, by a margin of 17.4 per cent.
REYNELL
Incumbent: Katrine Hildyard (ALP)
Predicted winner: Katrine Hildyard (ALP)
LABOR’S Katrine Hildyard was set to hold on to her safe seat of Reynell, which covers suburbs including Christie Downs and O’Sullivan Beach.
Early results showed Ms Hildyard had won more than 48 per cent of first-preference votes.
SCHUBERT
Incumbent: Stephan Knoll (Lib)
Predicted winner: Stephan Knoll (Lib)
LIBERAL Stephan Knoll has been returned in his Barossa Valley electorate. Mr Knoll went into the contest between five candidates with a margin of 12.4 per cent.
He has been touted as a potential future leader of the party, after entering State Parliament at the last election in 2014. He took over from long-serving Liberal Ivan Venning in what has traditionally been conservative territory.
STUART
Incumbent: Dan van Holst Pellekaan (Lib)
Predicted winner: Dan van Holst Pellekaan (Lib)
WITH just three candidates running and no opposition from SA Best in this seat — which he held on a two-party-preferred vote of 70.5 per cent in 2014 — Liberal Dan van Holst Pellekaan was never really in doubt to hold Stuart.
The Wilmington resident has held the state’s second largest seat since 2010, before which it was held by fellow Liberal Graham Gunn from 1997.
Early indications were for a comprehensive Liberal victory.
TAYLOR
Outgoing member: Leesa Vlahos (ALP)
Predicted winner: John Gee (ALP)
LABOR’S battle to retain the safe seat of Taylor was looking easier than first expected last night, with SA Best not collecting as many votes as forecast in the north.
Labor’s John Gee was attracting 46 per cent of the vote ahead of SA Best’s Sonja Taylor with 23 per cent, with almost 25 per cent of the vote counted.
Pre-polling showed Ms Taylor with 29 per cent of the vote to Mr Gee’s 39, but there was also a large undecided vote.
Mr Gee, who moved from the seat of Napier after it was shifted and renamed King in the boundary redistributions, said early results coming through from booths showed good signs for him ahead of SA Best.
But he admitted he was very nervous as the votes were counted.
“I haven’t felt this nervous before but I think we (Labor) do have an edge,” Mr Gee said.
“We’ve run a very positive campaign and a grassroots campaign.”
Ms Taylor did not return calls from The Sunday Mail.
The seat of Taylor had been held by Labor MP Leesa Vlahos but the former mental health minister quit prior to the publication of the damning ICAC report into the Oakden scandal.
TORRENS
Incumbent: Dana Wortley (ALP)
Predicted winner: Dana Wortley (ALP)
LABOR stalwart Dana Wortley is facing a strong challenge from Liberal candidate Therese Kenny in her seat of Torrens, but last night looked set to hold on.
Early results last night put her on about 45 per cent of primary votes, with Ms Kenny on about 40 per cent.
Ms Wortley was a senator until she lost her federal spot at the 2010 election. She then entered the state House of Assembly in 2014 — her husband, Russell Wortley, is in the Legislative Council.
UNLEY
Incumbent: David Pisoni (Lib)
Predicted winner: David Pisoni (Lib)
LIBERAL David Pisoni looks set to easily win his safe seat of Unley after a poor showing by SA Best candidate Anthony Olivier.
Mr Pisoni has held the inner-south seat since 2006 and won the last election with a 9.2 per cent margin.
In early counting, Mr Pisoni had more than 52 per cent of first-preference votes.
WAITE
Outgoing member: Martin Hamilton-Smith (Ind)
Predicted winner: Sam Duluk (Lib)
THE Liberal Party looks set to reclaim the seat of Waite following the retirement of former leader Martin Hamilton-Smith, who quit the party to join the Weatherill Cabinet in 2014.
Liberal candidate Sam Duluk appeared set to win the seat, despite a challenge by SA Best for the Adelaide Hills and foothills-based seat.
Early counting showed SA Best candidate Graham Davies was polling at about 15 per cent.
WEST TORRENS
Incumbent: Tom Koutsantonis (ALP)
Predicted winner: Tom Koutsantonis (ALP)
TREASURER Tom Koutsantonis looks likely to win his safe western suburbs seat of West Torrens for a fifth time.
Mr Koutsantonis had secured about 55 per cent — or 1650 — of the first-preference vote as counting started early last night.
He went into the election with a 12.2 per cent margin.
WRIGHT
Outgoing member: Jennifer Rankine (ALP)
Predicted winner: Blair Boyer (ALP)
LABOR was ahead in retiring MP Jennifer Rankine’s northern seat of Wright as early counting began. SA Best candidate Natasha Henningsen, Blair Boyer for Labor and Liberal candidate Luigi Mesisca are contesting the seat.
At polling booths yesterday, all three candidates said they remained positive about their chances of winning.
UPPER HOUSE
LIBERAL and Labor will secure at least three Upper House seats each after yesterday’s election, with Nick Xenophon’s SA Best claiming two.
The three remaining seats will be decided in the coming weeks as votes are counted and preferences are distributed.
The Greens and the Australian Conservatives both said they are confident of gaining a seat, while Dignity, the Animal Justice Party and the Liberal Democrats all polled around 2 per cent.
Sitting Greens’ MP Tammy Franks said she was hopeful “we will be well placed to take one of the last places’’.
Australian Conservatives Legislative Councillor Robert Brokenshire said he was “quietly confident that we will sneak in at 11’’.
Dignity Leader Kelly Vincent also said she remained optimistic about keeping her seat in the Legislative Council.
“It going to be a while yet before we know how the Upper House falls out,’’ she said. “I am proud of the work I have done and the campaign I have run.
“Our record over the last eight years speaks for itself.’’
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