Liberal leader Steven Marshall accuses SA Best leader Nick Xenophon of a secret deal to hand Labor power

OPPOSITION Leader Steven Marshall has accused Nick Xenophon of forging a secret deal with Labor to ensure Jay Weatherill remains Premier — and the SA Best leader has retaliated by threatening to sue.

• SA Best reveals eight new women candidates
• Nick Xenophon unveils SA Best candidates in five seats for election
• Candidates for Kavel and Elder announced
• All three are among the most influential in the state, but how much?

OPPOSITION Leader Steven Marshall has triggered a legal threat from rival Nick Xenophon by accusing him of forging a secret deal to secure the Labor government a historic fifth term in office.

Mr Marshall said the SA Best leader was deliberately targeting Liberal-held seats, rather than Labor, in a bid to stop the Opposition winning majority government.

Firing back, Mr Xenophon branded the claim “a big, fat lie” and threatened legal action if Mr Marshall repeated “this sort of political crap”.

Premier Jay Weatherill, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall and SA Best leader Nick Xenophon. Picture: Roy Vandervegt/AAP

Premier Jay Weatherill accused Mr Marshall of making up the story to stem the flow of former Liberals joining Mr Xenophon’s party.

Speaking after Mr Xenophon unveiled a candidate in the Liberal stronghold of Unley, Mr Marshall said: “Clearly he (Mr Xenophon) has done a deal and he wants to back Labor back into government.

“When you look at the number of seats he is running in — it is 18 or 19 in Liberal seats and barely 10 Labor seats.

“There is no doubt Nick Xenophon is doing everything he can to help Jay Weatherill and Tom Koutsantonis stay in power.”

SA Best is now fielding candidates in 30 lower house seats — 14 are held by the Liberals, 14 by Labor and two by Independents who were formerly Liberals.

But the Liberals argue SA Best is fielding candidates in 19 notionally Liberal-held seats and 11 notionally held by Labor, because margins and boundaries have changed since an electoral redistribution finalised last year.

The Liberals argue this is a more accurate depiction of the electoral landscape the party faces at the March 17 election than assessing it according to seats held now.

Mr Xenophon said on Twitter that Mr Marshall’s claim was “a big, fat lie”.

“In the event SA Best does well at the SA election, my door will be open to representatives of both Liberal and Labor,” he said.

“It’s a pity Steven’s so desperate that he’s resorted to this sort of political crap.”

PODCAST - OFF THE RECORD: EPISODE 2

Mr Xenophon later told The Advertiser: “If (Mr Marshall) repeats it, I’ll have no choice but to take legal action.”

Mr Xenophon later told The Advertiser: “If he repeats it, I’ll have no choice but to take legal action.”

Mr Weatherill said: “My number one priority is jobs. Steven Marshall’s number one priority is trying to stem the tide of Liberals joining Nick Xenophon, that’s why he’s making up the story of a deal.”

Former Liberals turned SA Best candidates include Jassmine Wood in Colton, and Port Augusta Mayor Sam Johnson, who is standing for the upper house.

But Marion Mayor Kris Hanna, who is standing for SA Best in Gibson, is a former Labor and Greens MP.

The Liberal attack came after Mr Xenophon today unveiled SA Best’s Unley candidate, Adelaide chartered accountant Anthony Olivier.

Nick Xenophon with SA Best candidate for Unley Anthony Olivier.

The Liberals have held Unley since 1993 and the incumbent, Liberal transport spokesman David Pisoni, has been the representative since 2006.

Mr Xenophon hailed Mr Olivier’s business and government experience, which includes 10 months as a consultant to the United Kingdom Cabinet Office in 2013.

Mr Olivier, 44, said he wanted to deliver “a clean-out to bring fresh ideas and motivation into the area”.

Mr Olivier said he would campaign on issues including “community-appropriate” planning, transport, traffic, small business costs and education places.

Mr Xenophon is standing in the eastern Adelaide seat of Hartley, against incumbent Liberal Vincent Tarzia and Labor’s Grace Portolesi, who held the seat from 2006-14.

Campbelltown deputy mayor Marijka Ryan, formerly a Liberal and Australian Conservative, will also run in Hartley as an independent.

Incumbent Liberal member for Hartley Vincent Tarzia. Picture: Calum Robertson

Labor’s Grace Portolesi held the seat from 2006-14. Picture: Tait Schmaal