Sturt Liberal MP James Stevens looks down federal election barrel of swaying voters

Seasoned Liberal voters are swaying in the state’s tightest federal seat – and there’s one overwhelming winner.

We Report, Ute Decide: Kettawan Buakhman, 50, of Kensington. Picture: Brett Hartwig

As Liberal MP James Stevens fights to hold his federal Sturt seat with a tiny 0.5 per cent margin his voters are offering slim comfort – overwhelmingly picking Peter Malinauskas as their preferred Prime Minister.

A sprinkling of Peter Dutton fans were sipping coffee in Marden on Wednesday saying they believed the Liberal Opposition Leader was the best bet in protecting their superannuation as it was hit by world market falls.

However, most leaned toward a wildcard suggestion of Mr Malinauskas with 27 votes in The Advertiser’s We Report, Ute Decide visit to the electorate where Labor’s Claire Clutterham, the Greens Katie McCusker and Teal candidate Dr Verity Cooper are also fighting for the win.

“I’ve been Liberal my whole life but I’m not a massive fan of Dutton, I’m in the NDIS sector and disability housing … I wouldn’t want the Liberals to do anything to jeopardise my business,” Norwood local Tim Norris said.

We Report, Ute Decide. Tim Norris of Norwood with dog Snoop in the electorate of Sturt. Picture: Brett Hartwig

He was backed by friend and former Liberal supporter Catherine Fairweather of Maylands, who was concerned Mr Dutton was too comfortable with US-style politics.

“I’m not anti-conservative and I want to have a strong economy but I think he would have zero social care,” she said.

One Labor supporter wanted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to stay on as “he was kind” while another backed Mr Dutton saying he believed Liberal voters were “a silent minority who are not announcing their allegiances”.

Magill voter Leah Liu, 42, was behind Mr Albanese as he showed a strong connection with the Chinese community and other cultural groups.

But it was Mr Malinauskas that most wished would switch to the federal scene with Marden’s Sophie de Garis summing it up.

“He just seems to be a decent person and he seems to be a good Dad, I’ve seen him at play centres and school events and he is relatable,” she said.

We Report, Ute Decide: Trevor Merritt, 81, and Jillian Merritt, 78, of Rostrevor. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Trevor Merritt, 81, Rostrevor

At Newton shopping centre Mr Merritt and his wife, Jillian, 78, were firm in their support for Mr Malinauskas as their preferred Prime Minister if he ever wanted to switch from state to federal politics.

“He gets things done for the people and he has got a plan for where he’s going and it’s not for only three years,” Mr Merritt said.

Leah Liu, 42, Magill

“The Chinese community prefers Mr Albanese because he has shown a connection with different cultural communities that we have never experienced before,” she said.

Kettawan Buakham, 50, Kensington

“Mr Albanese is a kind person, he cares about everyone,” she said.

We Report, Ute Decide: Catherine Fairweather, 49, of Maylands. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Catherine Fairweather, 49, Maylands

The swinging voter who last election voted Liberal said this year Mr Dutton would not win her vote as “there’s no heart, there’s no care”.

“He is not a good representative for women.”

Peter (who did not want to give a surname), Lyndon Park

“I’m a Liberal voter but Mr Malinauskas comes across as very genuine and he really cares about the state and the other two, I don’t have anything against them, but they really aren’t PM material.”

Sturt

Liberal’s James Stevens holds Sturt with a slim 0.5 per cent margin.

His challenges are the Labor Party’s Claire Clutterham, the Greens Katie McCusker, Teal Independent Verity Cooper, Family First’s Jushua Mervin, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s Peter Bogatec and Trumpet of Patriots Nicholas Duffield.

The seat covers leafy suburbs like Toorak Gardens and Beaumont, stretching through Norwood, Magill, Campbelltown, Dernancourt and Highbury.

There are 130,340 registered voters for the electorate created in 1949 and named after Charles Sturt, the early European explorer of the River Murray.

Originally published as Sturt Liberal MP James Stevens looks down federal election barrel of swaying voters