Federal election 2019 results: Sturt electorate | Pyne’s protege Stevens prevails

For the first time since 1993, the eastern suburbs seat of Sturt will be represented by a new MP — albeit one with very close ties to retiring Liberal powerbroker Christopher Pyne.

James Stevens hands out how to vote cards at Norwood Primary School on election day. Picture: Matt Loxton

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The baton is set to be passed from long-serving Liberal Christopher Pyne to his protege, James Stevens, in Sturt.

The electorate has been held by Mr Pyne since 1993, and has only spent two terms in Labor hands. Its margin is 5.4 per cent after the state’s electoral redistribution.

On paper, the eastern suburbs electorate is a rock-solid Liberal seat, with Mr Pyne’s personal vote the main reason.

On Saturday night, Mr Stevens claimed victory over Labor’s Cressida O’Hanlon. With most of the votes counted, he was ahead 55.7 per cent to 44.3 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis, and had an impressive primary vote of 49.3 per cent.

As a fierce campaigner, senior moderate, factional warlord, and senior Cabinet minister, Mr Pyne has kept that Liberal vote high.

Mr Stevens has a long Liberal history — he was a president of the SA Young Liberals, was Mr Pyne’s campaign manager for four elections, and was Premier Steven Marshall’s chief of staff before he resigned to contest Sturt.

Mr Stevens said he was looking forward to “fighting for SA and emulating everything that Christopher Pyne has done in the past”.

“I think the next massive challenge for any South Australian MP is the Murray and delivering on the 450 gigalitres — that’s going to be a major challenge,” he said.

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Other states have been reluctant to return that water to the river system.

Mr Stevens said a factor in his win was Labor “pulling the rug” out from older Australians through tax and imputation credit changes, saying their plans would rob older Australians to pay for Labor’s election promises.

Mr Stevens said Mr Pyne had left “enormous shoes to fill … in many ways, he’s irreplaceable”.

“I want to be like him, a fighter for the seat, but also for our state in Canberra,” he said.

Premier Steven Marshall said his former chief of staff was a “phenomenal talent” and he was “absolutely delighted” at his win.

“I don’t’ think we’ll ever see the likes of Christopher Pyne again, but the good news is Sturt is very safe with James Stevens,” he said as he celebrated alongside Mr Stevens at the Robin Hood Hotel.

Earlier, Ms O’Hanlon said she was well aware of the “huge challenge” ahead of her should she win the seat. “But you get up every day and you just get into it. It’s very hard to switch away from,” she said.

Labor candidate for Sturt Cressida O'Hanlon. Picture: Tait Schmaal

At the Magill Primary School booth, Mrs O’Hanlon said a reported backlash over Labor’s proposed crackdown on franking credits — particularly in affluent areas such as those covered by Sturt — had been overplayed.

“It’s been a much bigger thing in the media than what I’ve experienced on the ground,” Mrs O’Hanlon said.

“Certainly, there have been a couple of people who have expressed disappointment in it, or more. But it really hasn’t come up a lot, to be honest.”