Campaign diaries from Christopher Pyne, Penny Wong reveal how worried they were about Nick Xenophon

CHRISTOPHER Pyne’s election campaign diaries shows just how seriously the Liberals had to treat the threat of the Nick Xenophon Team, which forced the Libs to take steps for Mr Pyne’s seat in the final days.

Christopher Pyne arrives to vote at Stoneyfell on election morning. Picture: Stephen Laffer

• Read excerpts from their diaries here

LIBERAL reinforcements were brought in from interstate during the final days of the federal election campaign to help Industry Minister Christopher Pyne see off the Nick Xenophon Team threat in his seat of Sturt.

The Advertiser today begins the exclusive publication of diaries kept by senior South Australian federal politicians during the final week leading up to the July 2 election.

The diaries of Mr Pyne and Labor Senator Penny Wong are live now and will be followed by diaries from NXT Leader Nick Xenophon and Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

In their diaries, Mr Pyne and Senator Wong both discuss the rise of the NXT Party, which went on to win three Senate seats and defeat former Liberal minister Jamie Briggs in the seat of Mayo.

On the Sunday before the election, Mr Pyne welcomed eight Young Liberals from the ACT and NSW to help on his campaign.

“We immediately put them to work and, along with the whole campaign team, did a mass telephone canvassing effort at Liberal Party Headquarters with my help,’’ Mr Pyne wrote.

“We made 1000 calls to voters within my electorate.”

Flinders Medical Centre emergency physician Matthew Wright stood against Mr Pyne for the Xenophon party in Sturt.

Mr Pyne was not taking the threat from Mr Wright lightly.

“In an electorate wide letter NXT candidate Matthew Wright finally gets his message right but hopefully it’s too late,’’ he wrote on Thursday.

Meanwhile, at the Pyne family home pet Labrador Tilly caused trouble by eating through the back fence. Mr Pyne, a Catholic, managed to find time to attend Mass on Thursday.

Labor Senator Penny Wong speaks to the media after voting at Goodwood Primary School. Pic: Tom Huntley

Senator Wong was in Adelaide in the lead up to election day after having to spend much of the campaign away from her young family as Labor’s national campaign spokeswoman in Canberra.

She campaigned for Labor National President Mark Butler in Port Adelaide, which was considered the ALP seat most likely to fall to NXT.

“Mark’s so important to Labor, here and nationally,’’ Senator Wong wrote on Sunday.

“Although Nick X is getting a lot of attention, I’m yet to meet anyone who actually knows much about his candidate in the Port.”

Senator Wong also campaigned against Mr Pyne in Sturt and spent time with Labor’s Steve Georganas, who went on to capture the seat of Hindmarsh from Liberal Matt Williams.

Labor also stepped up its Senate campaign.

“For the first time in decades Labor has run a co-ordinated Senate campaign in South Australia,’’ Senator Wong wrote.

Mr Pyne was re-elected in Sturt with almost 56 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote.

Mr Butler received almost 71 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote in Port Adelaide.

Turnbull to reveal new Cabinet

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull will on Monday be re-elected unopposed as leader of the Liberal Party before he unveils his new ministerial line-up.

Mr Turnbull on Sunday night entertained Liberal MPs and senators at The Lodge in Canberra ahead of the first meeting of the Government partyroom since the election.

The PM is expected to make minor changes to the ministry to accommodate extra members from the Nationals and after three ministers lost their seats at the election.

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop said Mr Turnbull had made it clear that the new frontbench would not include former prime minister Tony Abbott.

“Of course he (Mr Abbott) has a contribution to make to the Government, but there are many ways that a contribution can be made,’’ Ms Bishop told ABC-TV.

Some MPs had wanted Mr Turnbull to reach out to the conservative wing of the party by promoting Mr Abbott.

In response to concerns raised by Liberal supporters and MPs, the PM is expected to water down plans to restrict superannuation tax concessions for high-income earners.

There are currently three South Australians on the Government frontbench.

Industry Minister Christopher Pyne and Education Minister Senator Simon Birmingham are Cabinet members. Senator Anne Ruston is the Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources.