Black by-election 2024: The nailbiting Black by-election fight descends into bitter acrimony on eve of poll between major political parties

On the eve of the controversial Black by-election and major rows, officials say result on a knife edge as Labor fears unknown popularity of former Liberal David Speirs.

Labor Candidate Alex Dighton and Liberal Candidate Amanda Wilson speak to people voting in the Black by-election. Picture: Brett Hartwig

• ‘Aggressive behaviour’: Black by-election turns ugly at pre-polls

The nailbiting Black by-election fight descended into bitter acrimony on Friday between the major political parties.

Labor candidate Alex Dighton, Sacred Heart College’s deputy principal, is locked in a knife-edge battle with Liberal rival Amanda Wilson, the Holdfast Bay mayor.

More than 26,550 voters will vote – with about a third casting ballots early – after former opposition leader David Speirs quit parliament amid drug supply charges.

But on the eve of today’s by-election – the third to replace quitting Liberal MPs since the March 2022 poll, including two former leaders – a war of words erupted.

Labor Candidate Alex Dighton and Liberal Candidate Amanda Wilson speaks to people voting in the Black by-election. Picture: Brett Hartwig.

Senior party officials say a result is unlikely before mid-next week after almost 10,000 electors cast a pre-poll ballot or lodged a postal vote.

Labor needs to “flip” 600 votes to win.

Both parties also are unclear about how Mr Speirs’ personal vote will influence the outcome, given his personal crisis but his success as a local MP.

In a day of drama, an ugly row erupted after the state’s election watchdog ruled a Liberal attack advert about taxpayer fees and charges rising 30 per cent was “misleading”.

Electoral Commissioner Mick Sherry upheld Labor’s complaints that state laws were breached and ordered it be withdrawn and retracted.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said an “independent umpire” decision had left the Liberals’ credibility “in tatters”.

“(Their) central pitch to the people of Black has been found to be a lie,” he said.

Liberal Party acting state director Alexander Hyde lashed the decision, arguing it undermined “freedom of speech and political communication”.

The dispute is now being legally challenged amid Liberal claims the contentious data was published in the government’s “own budget papers”.

“No amount of Labor spin or tricky accounting can hide it,” Mr Hyde said.

A second dispute emerged after Mr Dighton, 46, of Hallett Cove, was accused of “intimidating behaviour” against Ms Wilson, 53, who lives in Glenelg North – outside the electorate.

During March’s bitter Dunstan by-election, Mr Speirs is believed to have rung Premier Peter Malinauskas, urging Labor staffers to stop “bullying” Liberal Anna Finizio, 38, who eventually lost.

Mr Malinauskas’s popularity has buoyed Labor officials, but senior government sources privately believe they will “fall short” in Black – although they put chances at 50 per cent.

“Ordinarily, a government shouldn’t be any chance to win – and people forget Black was a 9.2 per cent seat at the last election, so it’s a big ask,” one said.

“That said, I think we’ve done everything we can to give ourselves a chance.”

Senior Liberals fear a uniform 5 per cent swing – Labor needs 2.6 per cent to win – will wipe it out at the 2026 poll and “destroy” the party’s “brand” even further.