Early voting shows Black by-election down to wire as senior Labor figures express fears
Senior Labor sources are worried voters in David Speirs’ former seat will send a message to Canberra about cost of living, as The Advertiser’s exit polling suggests a tight result.
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Labor fears a backlash from voters in the seat of Black who are eager to use the state by-election to send a message to Canberra about cost of living.
The Advertiser can report that senior SA Labor Party figures are worried about a backlash against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Qantas upgrades and luxury beachside home purchase, fearing it will drag down their vote in Saturday’s Black by-election.
Labor is worried that voters in the southwestern Adelaide mortgage belt seat will seek retribution for cost-of-living pain, in a stark message to Mr Albanese ahead of a federal election early next year.
Strategists were worried about a slump in support among young men for Prime Minister, contrasting it with the strong backing for Premier Peter Malinauskas among the same demographic – and across the board.
It is understood this is reflected in Labor’s internal research, although these findings have not been seen by The Advertiser.
Labor broke political history in March by winning former Premier Steven Marshall’s inner-eastern seat of Dunstan – the first time a sitting state government had won an Opposition-held seat in a by-election for more than 116 years.
The Advertiser exit polled 100 voters at early voting booths on Tuesday and found the result could come down to a knife-edge.
Forty-seven said they voted for Labor’s Alex Dighton and 37 backed Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson for the Liberals, while the remainder chose minor parties.
Voters aged 18 to 94 said issues such as cost of living, healthcare and upgrading local infrastructure were top of mind at the ballot box.
Ms Wilson, who is not a resident of Black, addressed criticism about her running for the seat as an “outsider”.
“I’m going to move into David Speirs’ office at Hallett Cove and I’ve been looking for property in the area,” she told The Advertiser.
“But residency is quite an arbitrary issue. The reality is that I am a highly qualified person for the job.
“As Mayor of Holdfast Bay, I’m already very familiar with the community along the coastline and I understand that they are facing the same cost-of-living pressures, same housing affordability problems, and an interest to improve the beaches and facilities along the water.”
Ms Wilson said her residency was “the only attack line” that the Labor Party had to undermine her competency.
Meanwhile, Mr Dighton, a schoolteacher at Sacred Heart College, said he was “excited” that voting had commenced as “the community had faced a lot of uncertainty over the past couple of months” with Mr Speirs’ resignation.
The former Opposition Leader stepped down from his seat in October after The Advertiser published a leaked video showing him snorting a white powder.
He has been charged with two counts of supplying a controlled substance. He denied all wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.
Mr Dighton said it was “time for a new chapter for the local community”.
His key promise was to improve the local health system, with 130 hospital beds inbound for the south, as well as urgent care clinics.
On the ground, voters’ loyalties were swayed mainly by the candidates’ grassroots credentials.
Pashk Dodaj, 75, a well-known Albanian émigré within the Hallett Cove community, said Ms Wilson had won him over.
“I would give her my heart,” Mr Dodaj said.
“She’s a good person, and I’ve seen her a lot in our community during the short time leading up to the election – definitely more than I’ve seen Alex, although he’s a local.”
Meanwhile, John Trembath, 66, and wife Andrea, 64, said they voted Liberal because they believed Mr Speirs did “an outstanding job in the community”.
“For us, we’ve recently retired, and the cost-of-living pressure is really taking a bite out of our wallet,” John said.
“The current government does occasionally provide package relief on electricity and whatnot, but it’s not enough to help older people like us when we’re living on a somewhat limited budget.”
On the other hand, research manager Fidelma McCory, 52, saw Mr Dighton as a “genuine, nice person” who was campaigning visibly.
But like many others, it was the pinch on her hip pocket that ultimately counted the most.
“The economy is the main issue and I think we need all the voices we can get in state parliament to feed the message up to the federal government,” she said.
Rebecca Walker, 46, and daughter Annabella, 18, both voted for the Greens’ Sarah Luscombe because they approve of her “previous community work”.
“I think the Black community needs someone like her to reinvigorate the place,” the mum said.
“She’s young and she’s active and she’s always posting her projects on social media.”
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