Winners, losers and five things we learnt from the South Australian election
The pollies who triumphed against the odds, the ones who’ll be kicking themselves today, and how the hell did carbs become an election issue?
State Election
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Some of South Australia’s election results were anticipated, but some came out of the blue. Here’s a quick guide to what worked and what didn’t.
THE WINNERS
Chris Picton. After 16 years of health reform failures, RAH cost blowouts and the disaster that was Transforming Health, Chris Picton managed to turn health into a Labor asset by constantly talking about a “ramping crisis”.
Mount Barker. If Labor wins Kavel, Mount Barker gets a big new hospital. If independent Dan Cregan is returned he will have huge leverage for things like a train. If Liberal Rowan Mumford wins, the town still gets a hospital upgrade.
Penny Pratt. The Liberal candidate for Frome is contesting the seat after a redistribution that resulted in sitting independent MP Geoff Brock’s powerbase of Port Pirie moving into Stuart, giving her a much easier shot at victory.
Democracy. While countries like Russia and China have a faux tsar and emperor with no room for dissent, SA has had a peaceful election with myriad views expressed and no chance any handover would be anything but peaceful.
THE LOSERS
Geoff Brock. He won Frome as an independent in 2009, helped Labor retain power and served as a minister, but lost his Port Pirie power base in a redistribution and followed it to contest Stuart against Deputy Premier Dan van Holst Pellekaan.
Sam Duluk. A moment of madness at a Christmas bash saw the rising Liberal star punted from the party, leaving him as an independent in Waite. He’s up against former SA Young Libs president and deputy Lord Mayor Alex Hyde.
Carbs. A slice of strategic genius splashed Peter Malinauskas on to the Sunday Mail front page and, importantly, the minds of voters as he whipped off his shirt for a swim at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre to reveal a sculptured bod.
Covid. The virus virtually ruled our lives for two years but could not stop the election, even if it meant wearing masks in long queues, bring- your-own pencils at ballot booths and record pre-poll and postal votes being cast.
FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT
1. Be nimble
You may think you have come up with the election campaign to end all campaigns but, as circumstances change, you must adapt. The Liberal campaign appeared to have been drawn up in those heady days when it appeared the worst of the pandemic was behind us. The Liberal Party seemed unable, unwilling or unable to change course.
2.The electorate deserves respect
It always seemed untenable that the Liberal government would refuse to tell the people who would be the state’s next treasurer should it win the election. The incumbent, Rob Lucas, who is leaving after 40 years in parliament, was left to prosecute the case against Labor’s spending plans. But his authority in selling the message was undermined by the public’s knowledge that Lucas would not be around after the election. The Liberals approach to its own costings was also overly tricky.
The Liberals’ pick for attorney-general was not clear and Josh Teague, who was acting in the position in the absence of Vickie Chapman, was invisible.
3. Speaking of which
The Libs missed Vickie Chapman during the campaign. All elections, to some extent, eventually become defined by the leaders, and this one certainly came down to the battle between Steven Marshall and Peter Malinauskas. But even the best leaders need a little help now and again. Marshall had some help from Lucas in prosecuting the case, but as pointed out, the Treasurer is very much yesterday’s man. Chapman was one of the government’s best communicators before the whole Kangaroo Island imbroglio that saw her lose a vote of no confidence in parliament.
4. Never look back
Labor campaigned as if the past had never happened. That it hadn’t made a pig’s ear of health the last time around. That electricity prices didn’t skyrocket. That Oakden didn’t happen. It presented itself as a shiny, born-again, brand-new object.
5. Guns out, votes out
Perhaps not for every political leader but Peter Malinauskas certainly grabbed attention when he took his shirt off to have a dip at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre at the start of the campaign.
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