South Australian election campaign officially underway, Weatherill Government now in caretaker mode

THE South Australian election campaign is officially underway, as the Labor government moves into caretaker mode ahead of the March 17 poll.

• Daniel Wills: The struggle is real for Nick Xenophon
• Marshall: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
• Empty chair takes stage as Jay ‘snubs’ debate
• Adelaide candidates reveal CBD priorities

THE South Australian election campaign is officially underway, as the Labor government moves into caretaker mode ahead of the March 17 poll.

Premier Jay Weatherill has visited the state’s governor on Saturday morning to signal the start of the month-long countdown.

It has been a busy day of campaigning across Adelaide as Mr Weatherill, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall and SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon held media conferences to outline their plans.

Mr Xenophon announced two more candidates, taking the number of Lower House seats to be contested by his burgeoning party to 35.

Speaking at Newton Central Shopping Centre, Mr Xenophon said he may announce “just one other” candidate in “the next few days”.

He clarified late on Saturday that eight of his candidates have received loans to cover the $20,000 SA Best campaign contribution, and have agreed to pay back the money if they are elected.

“We wanted to give South Australians a choice in as many seats as possible,” Mr Xenophon said.

“What SA Best is about is giving South Australians a real choice from the political centre.

“If it’s Labor or Liberal it will be a case of more of the same. SA Best will play a powerful role to be a watchdog.”

Mr Xenophon said he expected “this will be a nasty campaign” but argued voters were “sick of negativity”.

In contrast, Mr Weatherill insisted his party would be focused on “positive” policies - echoing a phrase used often by Mr Marshall in recent months.

Mr Weatherill made his first official pitch of the campaign at the Lockleys Hotel, where he worked as a young man.

Stopping in for a beer with his father, former MP George Weatherill, the Premier said his focus would be on creating job opportunities for South Australians.

Mr Weatherill confirmed that he intends to stay on as Premier for the full next term of Parliamnet if Labor is re-elected on March 17.

However, he would not say if he would step aside if the party loses.

Across town, Mr Marshall said the Liberal Party had a “much greater ambition for our state” and it was time to change the government.

“Labor have been in for 16 years. They’ve put SA in a perilous situation,” he said.

“We’re the only party that will create more jobs, will lower costs and will provide better services.

“This is an important election. The people of SA need to have all the information.”

Mr Marshall also called for a “clean fight” on the campaign trail, saying the Liberals “won’t be needing to resort, in any way, to any dirty tactics”.

South Australian premier Jay Weatherill will visit the Governor on Saturday morning to signal the official start of the 2018 election campaign. Photo: AAP Image/Roy Vandervegt.

SA BEST ANNOUNCE MORE CANDIDATES

Podiatrist Giles Rositano joins Labor and Liberal candidates in the northern suburbs seat of King, which was newly drawn in the shake up of electoral boundaries for the 2018 vote.

Reformed pokies addict Julia Karpathakis will take on Health Minister Peter Malinauskas, tipped as a future Labor leader, as he prepares to move from the Upper House to the Lower House western suburbs seat of Croydon.

Labor’s sitting MP there, Michael Atkinson, is exiting politics at this election.

LIBS PLEDGE $5M FOR CFS

In Belair, Mr Marshall pledged an extra $5 million to upgrade Country Fire Service stations.

The money would be delivered over two years.

Mr Marshall said a “significant” maintenance backlog was “leaving some brigades to operate out of unsuitable facilities”.

BOURKE TO REPLACE VLAHOS FOR LABOR

Labor’s state executive also met on Saturday afternoon to decide who would replace former minister Leesa Vlahos on its Upper House ticket.

The party has chosen Emily Bourke, who works in the Premier’s office, to fill the vacant number one position.

Ms Vlahos - the minister formerly responsible for the Oakden aged care home - revealed on Thursday that she would not contest the state election because she did not want to be a “distraction” to the party when ICAC boss Bruce Lander hands down his report on Oakden on February 28.

Mr Lander launched his inquiry into any maladministration at the government-run home last year after a harrowing report from former chief psychiatrist Aaron Groves uncovered allegations of neglect and abuse at the aged care and mental health facility and a culture of cover-up.

Labor’s state executive will decide on Monday who will fill the fifth and sixth spots on its Upper House ticket.

THE WEEKS AHEAD

The year’s election is shaping up as one of the most uncertain in recent memory with the entry of Nick Xenophon’s SA-BEST party, which is seeking to grab the balance of power.

Recent opinion polls suggest it is attracting plenty of support but its leader has made a few stumbles of late.

Also causing uncertainty at this election is a major redistribution of electoral boundaries that leaves the Labor government needing to increase its vote to retain office for a record fifth straight term.

Mr Weatherill says Labor’s top priority for South Australians is creating job opportunities.

Liberal Leader Steven Marshall argues it’s time for change and has urged voters to support his plan to attract investment and boost economic growth.

Mr Xenophon says if he has the balance of power after the poll, he’ll work to ensure South Australia continues to have stable government while increasing transparency.

However, he’s made no promises about which party he’ll support.

PODCAST: OFF THE RECORD - EPISODE 3