Michael McGuire: The Liberals never seemed to find a sure footing in this new world

Steven Marshall’s government was ready to accept the acclaim of a grateful populace – but that was before November 23, writes Michael McGuire.

This Liberal campaign just never seemed to get going. A couple of times it threatened to splutter into life, but the spark soon extinguished.

It was as if the Liberals had planned a campaign based on conditions before November 23, when the state opened the borders, and was unable to change course when it needed to. It must have seemed relatively straightforward back then. South Australia had survived the pandemic just about better than anywhere else in the world. We had more freedoms, fewer restrictions and a feeling that a return to full normality was imminent.

Steven Marshall’s government was ready to accept the acclaim of a grateful populace. And an election campaign was framed.

But then Omicron ambushed the state, case numbers which had been negligible, were being measured in their thousands and people were dying for the first time since the pandemic’s early days.

There were massive queues at testing stations, rapid antigen tests were scarce and restrictions on businesses and gatherings were reintroduced.

Police commissioner Grant Stevens, Premier Steven Marshall and Professor Nicola Spurrier at a Covid Press Conference at Old Parliament House in December. Picture: Simon Cross

The return of classroom learning in schools was delayed. Not all of this was the fault of the Marshall government, but there were rising levels of frustration within the community that we had still not escaped Covid.

The government was being criticised both by those who believed SA had opened too early and those, especially in its core business community, that believed bringing back restrictions was unnecessary.

In this changed environment, Labor conflated the government’s seeming unpreparedness for the new wave of Covid, with its narrative that the government had lost control of the health system.

And worse it was fixated on a $662m ‘basketball stadium’ at a time the state’s health system was struggling.

And the Liberals never seemed to find a sure footing in this new world. It allowed the Labor Party to frame the big issue of the election as health.

As a result it seemed to have little positive to say about its own plans. It tried to fight back by pointing out, accurately, that Labor had a terrible record on health when it was last in government. It tried to switch the campaign away from health and back onto the more comfortable ground of the economy, where it had a decent story to tell, but kept getting sidetracked into other areas that seemed to make less sense politically.

Treasurer Rob Lucas poses with fake Labor money during a presser aimed at Labor’s election spending promises. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The Liberals, and its outgoing Treasurer Rob Lucas, tried to highlight Labor’s election spend. But in an election campaign people expect promises and spending.

And if they believe it’s being spent in a way that might fix a problem, say in health, they won’t be too worried. Lucas message of ‘who do you trust?’ was also undercut by his party’s refusal to say who would be its next treasurer.

Its last week was disastrous. There were cheap stunts in flicking around money and tearing up costings. It said on Monday there would be no more announcements, ensuring a week of reacting to Labor rather than talking about their own plans.

The Liberals, by now, appeared to have conceded the larger campaign and the message was they were fighting hard in the marginals that will determine government.

Maybe they are right, but it’s a high-risk strategy. Its last day was spent talking about a ruling from the Electoral Commissioner who found Labor had made misleading statements on ramping. Fair enough to a point. But what’s the message you are trying to leave with voters? Do you want them heading into the polling booth thinking about a political squabble or with some positive message about the future of the state?