Tarzia has no opposition; neither does the Malinauskas Labor government electorally

South Australia’s Liberal Opposition Leader, Vincent Tarzia, appears safe from challenge despite having the lowest poll rating recorded in the state as Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas dominates.

South Australian Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia. ‘They do say that being leader of the opposition is the worst job in politics. It’s a tough job. But I’m really focused on what is ­important and what is ahead.’ Picture: Dean Martin

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South Australian Liberals are limping towards the abyss and will not challenge Vincent Tarzia ­despite the embattled Opposition Leader registering the lowest poll rating recorded in the state’s political history.

The SA Liberals have spent the week reeling from an unprecedented YouGov poll that shows Premier Peter Malinauskas has opened up an almost 60-point gap over his Liberal rival.

Just 14 per cent of South Australians rate Mr Tarzia as preferred premier compared to 72 per cent for Mr Malinauskas.

The approval rating exceeds the previous record highs enjoyed by former Liberal premier Steven Marshall at the height of Covid when SA did comparatively well avoiding extended lockdowns.

Liberal figures this week were circulating images of the famous Bulletin cover featuring John Howard at his lowest ebb against Bob Hawke in the 1980s, suggesting Mr Tarzia could defy expectations to make a similar comeback.

That famous headline – “Mr 18 per cent: Why does this man bother?” – had Mr Howard four points above Mr Tarzia’s poll rating.

The support for Mr Malinauskas is statewide and transcends age, gender and geography, with even traditionally conservative voters in the 65-plus age group and rural SA showering the Premier with approval ratings of 72 per cent and 69 per cent respectively.

Premier Peter Malinauskas. A poll shows his preferred-premier rating at 72 per cent. Picture: Matt Loxton

Despite the crushing results, Liberal figures are falling in behind Mr Tarzia and ruling out any challenge ahead of the state election next March.

That is despite the YouGov poll also showing the complete collapse in the Liberal primary vote, which stands at just 21 per cent compared with 48 per cent for the ALP. If these results were replicated on polling day, the state Liberals would repeat the dismal outcome of this year’s federal election, after which the Liberals no longer hold a single federal seat in suburban Adelaide.

But there is no appetite for change for two reasons: replacing Mr Tarzia would mean Mr Malinauskas had faced four Liberal leaders in his first term and, more compellingly, no future leadership candidates want to trash their prospects by leading the party to what looms as a whitewash.

Mr Tarzia is hanging tough. Asked if his leadership was dead he replied: “Not at all.”

“I’ve got a very solid, united, disciplined team behind me,” he said. “They do say that being leader of the opposition is the worst job in politics. It’s a tough job. But I’m really focused on what is ­important and what is ahead. What I am focused on is the right priorities for South Australia. This state needs a strong opposition.”

Chief in Mr Tarzia’s favour in retaining the leadership is the ­absence of a willing replacement. He is not even a year into the job, being elected in a ballot last ­August after former leader David Speirs quit amid a cocaine scandal over which he was later charged and pleaded guilty.

Since then Mr Tarzia has struggled to put a dent in Mr Malinauskas’s popularity, even though the Premier has failed to honour his two key 2022 election promises – to fix the ambulance ramping crisis and create a green hydrogen industry – amid claims he is more interested in the hoopla of LIV Golf and the AFL’s Gather Round.

Despite this the Liberals have struggled to present a clear alternate policy agenda, which is resonating with voters.

They have also been beset by internal turmoil, with brawls over abortion and net zero and a three-way factional split between moderates, traditional conservatives and an influx of hardliners loyal to Trumpian firebrand Senator Alex Antic, whose rolling of Senator Anne Ruston for the top Senate spot last year remains a huge source of tension within the state division.

Sources told The Australian that with all the party’s woes, ­another leadership spill could only make things worse.

But some Liberals believe Mr Tarzia’s leadership is so dire that a change is necessary to avoid the total wipeout predicted by the YouGov poll.

Mr Tarzia remains safe for now as none of the likely alternatives is prepared to knock him off, or is leaving politics.

Well-regarded former education minister John Gardner, a one-time leadership aspirant, is quitting politics; Mount Gambier-based MLC Ben Hood would have to shift to the lower house to seek the job; and the most highly rated candidate, health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn, is only in her first term and has told colleagues she would not run for nor be drafted to the job.