Labor candidates Andrea Michaels and Joe Szakacs claim victory in Cheltenham and Enfield by-elections

Labor has claimed victory in two crucial by-elections triggered by the resignation of the state’s former premier and his deputy.

Labor has claimed victory in two by-elections triggered by the resignation of the state’s former premier and his deputy.

New Labor MP Joe Szakacs on Saturday night claimed victory in the western suburbs seat of Cheltenham vacated by former premier Jay Weatherill, while Labor’s Andrea Michaels defeated former Port Adelaide Enfield mayor Gary Johanson in the northern suburbs seat of Enfield.

Mr Szakacs had received 58.8 per cent of the primary vote when counting of all 11 polling booths closed on Saturday night. Postal and pre-poll votes are yet to be counted.

The SA Unions state secretary said he was “honoured and excited” to be the new Cheltenham MP.

“Every day I’m lucky enough to be the member for Cheltenham I’ll be fighting for them (his electors) in the same way I’ve been fighting for working families for most of my life,” Mr Szakacs said.

He said his priorities in State Parliament would be “fighting the Government’s cruel cuts to jobs, services and public transport”.

“Fighting for my community is in my DNA and I’m busting at the bit to get into Parliament and do this,” Mr Szakacs said.

In Enfield, Ms Michaels had more than doubled Mr Johanson’s primary vote as of 9.30pm, with 14,627 votes counted.

Andrea Michaels, the new MP for Enfield. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards

Joe Szakacs, the new MP for Cheltenham. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Financial lawyer Ms Michaels had 47.7 per cent of the primary vote to Mr Johanson’s 20.1 per cent, with the Electoral Commission having Ms Michaels receiving a two-party preferred vote of 63.2 per cent.

Ms Michaels could not be contacted on Saturday night.

The by-elections were necessitated by the resignations of Mr Weatherill and his former deputy premier John Rau.

Labor’s victory in both by-elections means it will hold 19 seats in State Parliament. to the Government’s 25 in the Lower House, as well as independents Frances Bedford. Troy Bell and Geoff Brock.

Most of Labor’s campaigning in Enfield and Cheltenham was geared around fighting State Government cuts to public transport, that saw 720 individual services slashed and more than 450 shortened.

It also fought the impending closure of three Service SA centres set to be shut down by the Government, although the future of the Prospect service was a particular focus in Enfield.

Labor promised during the by-election campaign to reopen the centres at Prospect, Tea Tree Gully and Mitcham if it wins the 2022 general state election.

The Liberal Party did not run candidates in either seat, claiming it was instead focused on the upcoming federal election. However, party member Saru Rana gained endorsement to run as an Independent Liberal candidate in Enfield.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said he was “satisfied” with the twin victories but was not getting carried away,

“I don’t think this result means we’re going to win the next election, but it does mean we’re on the right track,” he said.

Mr Malinauskas took a pot shot at the Government for not contesting the seats, saying it was “not a good political strategy to run away from a fight”.

He said both his new MPs were “good people full of Labor values who are committed to the cause, but who come from vastly different backgrounds”.

“I think they add a lot of talent,” he said.

Both Ms Michaels and Mr Szakacs are spruiked as potential Labor frontbenchers, but it’s incredibly unlikely that Mr Malinauskas will opt for a shake-up in coming months. Negative posters were out in force in Enfield as Mr Johanson fought to claim the seat vacated by Mr Rau.

A Labor Party poster urged voters “don’t vote for Gary”, saying he was a three times failed candidates, a former Liberal and lived well outside the seat in West Lakes.

Mr Johanson hit back with an attack poster of his own, highlighting a report from The Advertiser that the by-elections could cost taxpayers up to $700,000 and Mr Rau’s controversial appointment as Senior Counsel when he was the state’s attorney-general.