Bob Day wins 12th Senate spot for South Australia, Labor and Liberal senators out

THE race for South Australia’s last Senate position is over, with two sitting senators from the major parties dumped.

FAMILY First Senator Bob Day has defeated Labor Senator Anne McEwen and Liberal Sean Edwards in the race for South Australia’s final Senate position.

Senator Day was confirmed as the winner of SA’s 12th Senate position when preferences were distributed today.

SA will have four Liberal, three Labor and three Nick Xenophon Team Senators.

Senator Day and Green Sarah Hanson-Young were both re-elected.

Senators McEwen and Edwards both lost their jobs after being relegated to marginal positions on their party voting tickets.

Senator Day won the final spot despite fearing that new Senate rules introduced by the Government with the support of Senator Xenophon and the Greens would end his political career.

“Despite his predictions of doom and gloom, Bob’s been proved wrong by his own result,’’ Senator Xenophon said.

Senator McEwen was demoted to the fourth position on the Labor ticket after party powerbroker and former senator Don Farrell decided to return to Parliament via the number two spot on the ticket.

Senator McEwen had been popular with her colleagues and served as Labor’s Senate whip.

Outgoing senator Edwards lost his seat after winning the fifth spot on the Liberal ticket.

He was best known for lobbying former prime minister Tony Abbott to ensure South Australia was considered as a site for the construction of the future submarines.

Senator Edwards said it had been an honour to serve in the Senate.

“I have enjoyed every single day of it,’’ he said.

“I am proud to have played a role in South Australia securing a major stake in the $89 billion naval shipbuilding industry that will deliver thousands of local jobs and have a positive economic impact on our state’s economy for decades to come.

“I’ve lobbied heavily for South Australia’s expanded involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle, producing a substantial submission to the SA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission in the process, and it now appears the state will do just that. This will deliver hundreds of billions of dollars in sovereign wealth to South Australia.”

Senate results from all of the other states are expected to be finalised by the end of the week.

SA Senators were elected in the following order:

1. Simon Birmingham (Liberal)

2. Penny Wong (Labor)

3. Nick Xenophon (Nick Xenophon Team)

4. Cory Bernardi (Liberal)

5. Don Farrell (Labor)

6. Stirling Griff (Nick Xenophon Team)

7. Anne Ruston (Liberal)

8. Alex Gallacher (Labor)

9. David Fawcett (Liberal)

10. Skye Kakoschke-Moore (Nick Xenophon Team)

11. Sarah Hanson-Young (Greens)

12. Bob Day (Family First)

MORE TO COME