SA Election 2018: Task before the party leaders in business end of state election
THE high-octane roar of the Adelaide 500 is over but the race for state government is nearing the business end. With less than a fortnight until the March 17 election, chief reporter Paul Starick analyses the task ahead for the three leaders.
SA 2018
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THE high-octane roar of the Adelaide 500 is over but the race for state government is nearing the business end.
With less than a fortnight until the March 17 election, chief reporter Paul Starick analyses the task ahead for the three leaders.
Premier Jay Weatherill
SHIFT attention from Oakden and retrieve a campaign that, until last Wednesday’s scathing ICAC report, had looked the most measured and on-message.
Expect upbeat announcements pushing Labor’s strengths and playing to the party base — focusing on renewable energy, public transport and education, for example.
Simultaneously, Labor will ruthlessly and relentlessly target Liberal leader Steven Marshall with attack ads, attempting to destroy his credibility as an alternative premier.
It seems inconceivable ETSA’s long-ago privatisation will not be dredged up, particularly to target shadow treasurer Rob Lucas’s role.
Labor’s strength and weakness is incumbency.
After 16 years, scandals and blunders mount up and voters grow impatient. But months of carefully engineered strategy — buttressed by pork-barrelling and advertising — culminate in the next fortnight as Mr Weatherill seeks to extend Labor’s term in office to 20 years.
Opposition Leader Steven Marshall
THE state Liberals had their best week in years last week, not only because of Oakden but due to Mr Marshall’s improved poise and pushing a credible plan for the Old Royal Adelaide Hospital site.
But, as the Adelaide Crows know, it’s the performance on the one big day that counts.
As voters start to engage with the election campaign, the heat will be on Mr Marshall.
He must withstand Labor’s attack, convince voters the Liberals (not SA Best) are the vehicle for change and push his agenda for changing the state.
Importantly, he must maintain discipline in a state division known for fracturing in pressure situations and convince internal detractors he has the political and leadership skills to seize power.
SA Best leader Nick Xenophon
JUST like they did with Donald Trump, the commentators are rushing to write off Mr Xenophon and his fledgling party.
He invited this by flirting with the always unrealistic prospect of becoming premier.
But a Newspoll published on the weekend showed SA Best’s primary support at 21 per cent — 11 percentage points behind the poll-leading Liberals — and Mr Xenophon leading as preferred premier.
As voters engage at the business end of the campaign, this creates opportunity for Mr Xenophon, if he focuses on his original mission of holding the balance of power to keep the major parties honest.
In recent days, SA Best has switched to pushing highly localised promises in target electorates.
This has the potential to fly below the radar and garner sufficient support to win a few seats, if votes and preferences fall the right way.
Without grabbing attention and pushing this new-found focus, Mr Xenophon risks becoming yesterday’s hero.
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