Galaxy Poll shows Liberal Leader Steven Marshall is now preferred Premier over Labor incumbent Jay Weatherill

AS pressure mounts to repel the controversial bank levy, exclusive polling reveals South Australians think Steven Marshall will do a better job as Premier than Jay Weatherill, while Nick Xenophon will be king maker at next year’s election. VOTE NOW

• Bernardi: Marshall must block bank tax now
• Poll finding: Job loss fears — voters lash bank tax
• Analysis: SA’s groundhog day scenario
• Key SA businesses ‘revolt’ against bank tax
• Premier challenges Opposition leader to debate bank tax live

LIBERAL leader Steven Marshall has overtaken Jay Weatherill as the preferred Premier for the first time since the last election — but voters are yet to be convinced the Liberal Party would be a better government, an exclusive Sunday Mail Galaxy Poll shows.

Taken just one week after Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis handed down the Budget with the controversial bank tax, two-party preferred polling puts the Weatherill and Marshall camps neck and neck at 50 per cent support with the prospect of yet another hung Parliament.

 

 

Senator Nick Xenophon’s SA Best party, with the support of one in five voters, looks set to play a pivotal, kingmaker role in the election and cause havoc in key marginal seats.

And Senator Cory Bernardi is confident his Australian Conservatives will grow in popularity despite picking up just 3 per cent of the first preference support.

Mr Marshall has enjoyed an 8 per cent boost since September, making him the preferred Premier for 39 per cent of voters — up from 27 per cent in February last year.

Mr Weatherill has dropped from 37 per cent to 30 per cent over the same period.

The poll, of 885 South Australians conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, follows the State Budget that included a bank levy that more than half of respondents oppose.

It also comes after months of government disasters including the Oakden nursing home scandal, delays at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, a statewide power blackout and the worst unemployment numbers in the country.

But despite the Government’s challenges, 28 per cent of those surveyed indicated they would give Labor their vote, the same percentage as a February 2016 Galaxy poll.

The Liberals’ primary vote (34 per cent) has dipped by one percentage point since last September but has risen since the February 2016 poll.

Galaxy Research managing director David Briggs told the Sunday Mail minor parties and independents look set to play a key role in the election.

“Support for Nick Xenophon’s SA Best remains steady at 21 per cent, the Greens are on 6 per cent, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation 6 per cent, Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives 3 per cent and other minor parties and candidates 2 per cent,” Mr Briggs said.

“At this stage Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives are attracting less than half of the vote achieved by Family First at the last state election.

“With the minor parties attracting 38 per cent of all votes, the allocation of preferences will be crucial in determining the final outcome.”

Mr Weatherill would not be drawn on the poll results. He said, “The choice is clear: Labor will always fight to protect existing jobs and invest to create new local jobs, whereas the Liberal Party will always protect the profits of big business.”

Mr Marshall declined to comment about the poll results but did say: “I will be working every day between now and the election to get rid of this Government.”

THE WORD ON THE STREET

 

 

Senator Xenophon suggested support for SA Best would continue to grow.

“It is still early days and the best is yet to come,” he told the Sunday Mail. “As people see our candidates, and learn more of our policies, those numbers can only go up.”

“We are the true alternative to the major parties.”

Senator Bernardi said his party had “come off a zero base and, after four months, we are building brand awareness”.

“We think we have the policies that will provide us with a springboard,” he said.

Senator Xenophon and Senator Bernardi said they would announce candidates soon.