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A '''general election''' for the 51st ] of ] was held on Saturday, ], ]. The incumbent ] minority government, led by ], won a majority in its own right thanks to a statewide two-party preferred swing of 7.7% and a gain of six ] seats.
The '''general election''' for the 51st ] was held in the ] of ] on ] ], and was conducted by the independent ]. The centre-left ], in government since 2002 under 44th ] ], gained six Liberal seats and a 7.7 percent statewide ],<ref name="Results"> (a) P.14 (d) P.13, State Electoral Office, South Australia, 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> resulting in the first Labor ] since the ] with 28 of the 47 ] (lower house) seats, a net gain of five seats. The centre-right ], led by ], regained a former independent seat with a net loss of five seats, leaving 15 seats, which based on 47 seats is the lowest Liberal result in any South Australian election.<ref name=QA> (a) Q.19 (b) Q.45, State Electoral Office, South Australia, 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> ] members ] and ] retained their seats, with ] successfully changing from Labor to an independent member. The sitting ] member ] retained her seat.


For the opposition ], the result represented the party's worst-ever electoral performance in the state's history,<ref name=QA> (a) Q.19 (b) Q.45, State Electoral Office, South Australia, 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and cost leader ] his job shortly after the election.
In the ] (upper house), both major parties each finished with a total of eight seats, with Labor winning four and the Liberals winning three. ] independent ] polled an unprecedented (for an independent or minor party) 20.5 percent, resulting in both Xenophon and his running mate, ] being elected. ] had a second member elected, the ] vote collapsed leaving one remaining member, and the ] won a seat for the first time.


In the ], the major parties finished with eight seats each. The big winner was the ] group led by ], which won 20.5% of the council vote and two seats: a vote share that rivalled the major parties.
Following the outcome of the election, member for ], ], replaced Kerin as opposition leader,<ref name="Oppn">Emmett, Patrick. ''Stateline SA'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> with ] replacing Evans in April 2007.
== Campaign ==
{{main|South Australian general election campaign, 2006}}


Labor consistently led the Liberals in opinion polls leading up to the election. The party ran a slick presidential-style campaign centred on their leader, with the slogan "Rann gets results." Labor, having been in office for one term, were also able to capitalise on fresh memories of the previous Liberal administration, in particular unpopular privatisations and school closures.
==Elections from 1965==
{{main|Template:Government of South Australia}}


== Electoral system ==
==Party backgrounds==
{{main|Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories#South Australia}}
===Australian Labor Party===
The ] is ]'s oldest political party, founded in 1891. It is a centre-left ] party which is formally linked to the ] movement. On a ] level, Labor has been in government since 2002, after having been in opposition from 1993 to 2002. Since the ] ending 26 years under LCL ] ] and the electoral ] of the ], 10 of 14 elections have been won by Labor. On a ] level, Labor has been in opposition since 1996, after having been in government from 1983 to 1996. Labor's premiers have ranged from the reformist ] in the 1970s to the factionally nonaligned and pragmatic ] today.<ref>, Government of South Australia, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The party's deputy leader, and therefore the Deputy Premier, is ].


The ] has 47 members, elected for four-year terms from single-member constituencies. The voting system is the full preferential form of the ] used for the Federal House of Representatives. The ] has 22 members, elected for eight-year terms on a statewide basis by ] proportional representation. Half the members come up for election at each quadrennial election. Voting is compulsory.
===Liberal Party of Australia===
The ] is a ] party (see ]), with close links to business and advocating ]. Whilst primarily a ] party, there exists a more ] wing, colloquially known as 'wet', 'moderate' or ]s, highlighted by the short-lived ] who first contested the ] as a separate party led by small-l ]. On a ] level, the ] in 1973 descended from the ] (LCL), the result of a merger of the ] and the Country Party of the time in 1932. On a ] level, the ] in 1944 descended from the ] and have held power since winning government in 1996, and governs in its ] with the ]. State opposition leader ] was nonaligned,<ref>Parker, Lachlan. , ABC PM Transcript, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> however since his resignation, conservative ] as leader and moderate ] as deputy took over the leadership in a joint ballot.<ref name="Oppn"/> ] defeated Evans in a leadership ballot in April 2007.


== Legislative Assembly ==
===Nationals SA===
=== Results ===
The ] are a sub-division of the ] ] (formerly the Country Party). First contesting the ], they have only held two seats at alternating periods; ] (1973-1993) and ] (1997-current).<ref>, ''ABC Elections SA'', 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Their sole member and leader, ], representing the ] district of Chaffey, accepted a cabinet position in the Labor government, as Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Small Business, and later Minister for Water Security.<ref>Sexton, Mike. , ABC 7:30 Report transcript, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> This informal ALP-NAT coalition (the first since 1935) caused uproar, with ] calling for Maywald's expulsion from the Nationals and ] calling for a corruption enquiry in to the appointment - neither eventuated.<ref>, ABC PM transcript, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> As the Liberal Party in South Australia is descended from a historical merger from an earlier Country Party, the SA Nationals are not as dominant in rural areas as their eastern state counterparts.
{| class="toccolours" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: .4em;" width="98%"

|- bgcolor="#ccccff" style="font-size: 90%;"
===SA Greens===
| colspan="6" align="center" | '''Legislative Assembly election, 2007'''
The ], founded in 1995 are a sub-division of the left-wing ]. They are based on ] and consider themselves a ] party with strong beliefs in ], ], ], ], an ecologically sustainable economy, global responsibility, a long-range future focus, meaningful employment, cultural diversity, and free access to independent information.<ref>, sa.greens.org.au, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Federally and locally they have seen a continued rise in primary votes in part due to the demise of the ].<ref>, Australian National University, April, 2006, page 5. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The party's leader is ].
|- style="font-size: 90%;"

===Family First Party=== ! align=left width="25%" | Party
! align=right width="15%" | Votes
The ] was founded in time to field candidates in the ], but the party also fields candidates in federal elections. The party is considered centre-right, its political ideology being based on ]-influenced ]. Although officially a secular party, it has close links to the ] movement,<ref>, ''ABC - Matt Liddy's Poll Vault'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and in particular the ] denomination,<ref>, Christian Democratic Party, November, 2004. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and its social policies generally mirror ] (but not necessarily ]). The party's leader is ].
! align=right width="15%" | % won

! align=right width="15%" | Swing
===Australian Democrats===
! align=right width="15%" | Seats won
The ] were originally a centrist party, with most current policies based on ]. Federally, the party was founded in 1977 from three different groups, all of which had split from the Liberal Party at different times: the ] ], which had split from its parent over electoral reform; the ], which had rebelled against Australia's involvement in the ], and initial leader ], who left the ], dissatisfied with the increasing underrepresentation of small-l liberals. At the state level it is descended from the ] of ], who held the Democrats' only lower house seats, ] and its successor seat ].<ref>, PollBludger.com, 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The Democrats have suffered internal problems and leadership scuffles since 1997. The party's leader is ].
! align=right width="15%" | Change

|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
==Electoral system==
]
South Australia is governed according to the principles of the ], a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the ]. Legislative power rests with the ], which consists of ] (represented by the ]), the ] (lower house) which forms government, and the ] (upper house) as a house of review. Forty-seven members of the lower house represent ] and are elected for fixed four-year terms.<ref>, Parliament of Australia Parliamentary Library, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The independent ], which conducts elections, is responsible for a mandatory ] of boundaries before each election to ensure ]. At each election, voters choose half of the twenty-two upper house members, each of whom serve eight-year terms in a single statewide electorate.
]
The House of Assembly is elected under the ] ] (IRV) system. If on the count of primary or first preference votes (votes marked with the number '1'), no candidate achieves more than 50% of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their votes distributed according to the next available preferences, their 2nd or third choice candidate. This process of exclusion continues until one candidate achieves 50% of the vote.

The Legislative Council is elected under the ] ] (STV) system through a means of ]s. Voters can choose to vote for a ticket by placing the number '1' in one of the ticket boxes "above the line" or can vote for individual candidates by numbering all the boxes "below the line" (54 in the 2006 election). In above the line voting, ticket votes are distributed according to the party or group voting ticket registered before the election with the ]. As most ballot papers are above the line, this form of voting often leads to pre-election trading between parties on how each party will allocate later preferences to other parties and candidates.

Voting is compulsory once enrolled in South Australian elections,<ref name=QA/> which results in turnout rates above 90 percent. Informal voting, which occurs when a voting slip is not valid, is at a rate of under 5 percent. Voting slips are informal when they are not filled out correctly, such examples are not numbering subsequent numbers, not filling out all the candidate boxes with numbers (except the last candidate), or in some other way that is verified by the State Electoral Office as illegible. South Australian elections have some features that are unique to the rest of Australia.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

Whilst there have been many reforms during the course of the state's parliament, the basic form of government is prescribed in South Australia's Constitution which dates from 1856. Since 1901 South Australia has been a state of the ], and the ] regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Under the Australian Constitution, South Australia ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas. Executive power rests formally with the Executive Council, which consists of the Governor and senior ministers. In practice, executive power is exercised by the ] and the Cabinet, who are appointed by the Governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the lower house.

As elections have fixed four-year terms, the election date of 18 March 2006 was known well ahead of time. The Electoral Act stipulates that the election campaign must run for a minimum of 25 days or a maximum of 55 days, therefore the Governor would have needed to issue writs for the election by 21 February 2006 at the latest.<ref>, State Electoral Office, South Australia, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> On 20 February, Premier Mike Rann invited Governor ] to issue writs for the election.<ref>Haxton, Nance. , ABC PM Transcript ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> In accordance with electoral regulations, the Electoral Commissioner then advertised key dates for the election of the House of Assembly and half of the Legislative Council - close of rolls on 27 February 2006 at noon, nominations to be received by 2 March 2006 at noon, polling day on 18 March 2006, and the return of writs on or before 28 April 2006.

==Election background==
{{dablink|For previous results, see ].}}
In the ], Labor won 23 seats, the Liberals 20, Nationals 1, and conservative Independents won three. As 24 seats are required to govern, the Liberal Party was expected to retain government with the support of all four independents. However, in a surprise decision, one of the conservative independents, ], decided to support Labor in exchange for holding a ], making him ] of the ],<ref>O'Brien, Kerry. , ''ABC 7:30 Report'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and concessions for his electorate including the phasing out of ] in the River Murray, prioritising the eradication of the branched ] weed, changing water ] for ], fast-tracking a feasibility study for a ] and ] at ], and improving rural roads.<ref>Bainger, Fleur.
, ''ABC SA Country Hour'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Lewis resigned as speaker in April 2005<ref>, Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> after controversy over paedophile allegations he had made about a serving MP.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> However, by this time, Labor had already gained the support of independents ]<ref>, Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and ]<ref>, Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> in 2002, as well as ] member ]<ref>, Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> in 2004. Such was given the position of speaker for the remainder of the government's term.

==Campaign==
The Labor campaign was heavily based around Premier Mike Rann with Labor's advertising swapping between the mottos "Building South Australia" and, to a greater extent, "RANN Gets Results".<ref> Mumble.com, 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Commentators also argued that the "presidential" style of campaign could be seen in Labor's formal campaign launch at the ] the Sunday before the election, which had some similarities to the ]s that the major parties hold in the ].<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

Another facet of the Labor campaign was extensive ] against Liberal leader Rob Kerin, including an advertisement featuring an excerpt of an interview that Kerin had with ] presenter ] where Conlon asked Kerin why he wanted to be leader of the Liberal Party. Kerin stammered for a few seconds and gave the impression that he was uncertain. The advertisement concluded with the question, "Does Rob Want The Job?". Conlon complained that the advertisement gave the false impression that he was endorsing Labor, but Labor campaign director ] dismissed his concerns.<ref>Fewster, Sean. "Labor ad unfair: Conlon". ''The Advertiser'', ], ], p.4.</ref> Other negative advertisements run by Labor revolved around the actions of the previous Liberal government - one advertisement and leaflet reminded voters that while in power, the previous Liberal government closed 65 schools,<ref> Parliament of South Australia, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> closed hospital wards,<ref>"An example of the "I'm alright Jack" attitude", ''The Advertiser'', 1995</ref> and privatised the ].<ref>Parkin, Andrew. "Political Chronicles - July to December 1998", ''Australian Journal of Politics and History'', vol 45 no 2, 1999, p.284. Available at </ref>

]s in the lead-up to the election.]]
Considered "strapped for cash",<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ]</ref> the Liberal Party ran a very limited television and radio campaign. Businessman ] was forced to resign from his Federal Liberal Party-appointed position on the board of the ] due to the party appointing him to the position despite the known fact that he had outstanding tax avoidance issues being dealt with by the ], and had thus subsequently pulled out of his traditional role of bankrolling the state division of the party, leaving the party with "only enough funds for the most basic campaign".<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Kerin indicated people would have to "wait and see" if there would be any campaign, even asking ] for donations, no matter how small.<ref>, ABC election pollvault, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The advertisements that did run argued that Labor was wasting record tax receipts from the ].<ref>Starick, Paul. "Libs send a new message with texts". ''The Advertiser'', ], ], p. 18.</ref> A number of embarrassments for the Liberal Party surrounded their television advertisement - in an early version released to journalists, Labor was spelt "Labour" (Labor cabinet minister ] dropped the 'u' in 1912 to "modernise" it as per ])<ref>Tonkin, Richard. , Webdiary.com.au, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and the advertisement alleged that South Australia's hospital waiting lists were the worst in the nation, which Labor successfully disputed to the Electoral Commissioner.<ref>Anderson, Laura. "Liberals forced to change TV ad after blunder". ''The Advertiser'', ], ], p. 7.</ref> During the election campaign, ], the Liberal candidate for ], made allegations in his advertising that Labor and the Labor candidate ] supported controversial ] programmes, which Labor flatly denied. Electoral Commissioner ] investigated and ordered that the advertisements be withdrawn and corrections be run at Pisoni's expense.<ref>, PollBludger.com, Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

Labor sought to win a majority in the House of Assembly to avoid having to rely on the support of independents. Opinion polls indicated that this was likely and ABC elections expert ] said that the "Labor government looks set to be returned with an increased majority".<ref>Eastley, Tony. ABC - AM Transcript, ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> ] had Labor at $1.01 ] and the Liberals at $12.00 ] for a majority government.<ref>, ABC election pollvault, Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

Most commentators agreed that the Liberal Party had little chance of winning government, and that Kerin would step down from the leadership after the election,<ref> ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> a suspicion confirmed in Kerin's concession speech.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> ] was considering mounting a leadership challenge, however, he withdrew on 14 October 2005 (probably for the sake of the impression of party unity) and subsequently resigned or was pushed from the opposition frontbench.<ref>Royal, Simon. ''Stateline SA'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

==Issues==
]
One of the most publicised issues prior to the election was the tram extension from ] to the ]<ref>, Government of South Australia, Department for Transport, Energy and Instrastucture. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> which the Liberals, despite having proposed the idea in their previous transport plan, now opposed.<ref>, ''NineMSN'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Construction began in April 2007<ref>, Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and is expected to be operational by September 2007.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The ] expansion suffered fuel delivery related delays that Labor was criticised for.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Continued delays by Labor to improve the safety of the Britannia roundabout were focused on by the ] Liberal candidate.<ref>Robins, Phil. , Mumble.com, ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> ] and ] cuts worth $1.5 billion were announced by Labor, the largest in the state's history.<ref>Henschke, Ian., ''ABC Stateline SA'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The tax cuts coincided with South Australia achieving an economic "Triple A" rating under the current Labor government.<ref>, ''The Adelaide Review'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

The construction of two bridges over ] as part of the Port Expressway project had come under criticism, which the Government promised would be open-span to allow passage of tugboats and tall ships, thereby preserving the inner harbour's dwindling port functions. Despite criticism coming from the electorate, the media, federal Labor, and road organisations including the ], The Advertiser revealed details of "the biggest project of its kind in South Australia's history", a $1.5 billion redevelopment on the western bank of the inner harbour. The development will include 2000 new homes on government-owned land and new buildings as high as 12 storeys. This followed the awarding of a $6 billion air warfare destroyer contract to the Australian Submarine Corporation, based in the electorate at ].<ref>, ''PollBludger.com''. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

The future of the ] has come under threat due to falling water levels, and in an unprecedented move, Nationals MP ] was given a cabinet position as Minister for the River Murray in 2004.<ref> (Rann press release), SaveTheMurray.com, ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Possible ] dumps were of concern to many Adelaide residents; Premier Rann successfully lobbied against any federal government proposals.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

Law and order was another key issue, with Labor promising extra police.<ref>, Government of South Australia, ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Tough ] laws had also been introduced<ref>, StoptheDrugWar.org, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> which included ] roadside testing for ] (THC) and ], and later ] (MDMA).<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Labor introduced speed limit reduction legislation which took effect in March 2003 which saw non-arterial non-main roads and most Adelaide CBD roads reduce from 60km/h to 50km/h.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The Liberals proposed to increase the speed limit back to 60km/h for several roads, concentrated mainly around the ].

Allegations were made over the condition of the state's health system and the capacity to deal with mental health issues.<ref>, ''ABC Stateline SA'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Labor pledged to buy back Modbury Hospital located in the district of ], privatised under the Liberal government to alleviate the effect of the ] collapse.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

The need for ] was acknowledged by both major parties; however, there was disquiet within the Labor Party over delays.<ref>, Letsgetequal.org, February, 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref>Bockman, Michelle Wiese. "Libs, Dems unite on gay unions". ''The Australian'', ] ], p.3.</ref> December 2006 saw the Domestic Partners bill pass which provides greater recognition to same sex relationships on a range of issues such as superannuation. The bill was supported by all parties after much negotiation, but in the end was voted against by both members of ], as well as Liberal ].<ref>, ''Parliament of SA Hansard'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

] policies received little attention,<ref>, EffectiveVoting.org. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> as has the 2010 referendum proposed by the Rann Government to abolish or reform the ].<ref>Rann, Mike. , Government of South Australia, ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> ] underfunded liability increases have also received little attention, despite the fact that the liability has climbed from a disputed $67-$85 million to $700 million since Labor came in to government in 2002 due to a more generous compensation scheme. Labor have since looked in to reform for the scheme including cutting payments to injured workers.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref>, ''Liberals SA'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref>, ''The Advertiser'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

There were claims that federal ] reform, ], was an influential issue in the election.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The Liberals announced 4,000 ] job cuts to pay for election promises.<ref>, Community and Public Sector Union, ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>
<br style="clear:both">

== Polling ==
Newspoll polling is conducted via random telephone number selection in city and country areas. Roy Morgan polling is conducted face-to-face Australia-wide. Sampling sizes consist of 500-1000 electors, Roy Morgan has a sampling tolerance (the margin of error) of ±3.2 percent for a 40 percent to 60 percent rating in a sample size of 1000 electors, and ±4.5 for 500 electors. The sampling tolerance rate is lower for high and low percentages.

{| class="toccolours" align="right" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
|-
! colspan=9 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"|Preferred premier ratings^
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Jan - Mar 2007
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|64%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|*14%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |Oct - Dec 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|61%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|*14%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |'''15 - 16 Mar 2006'''
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|63%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|21%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |Jan - Feb 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|59%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|19%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Oct - Dec 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|60%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|16%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |Jul - Sep 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|60%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|16%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Apr - Jun 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|60%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|17%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |Jan - Mar 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|61%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|15%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |'''Pre 2002 election'''
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" colspan=2|30%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" colspan=2|50%
|-
| style="font-size: 80%" colspan=10 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"|Source: <br>^ Remainder were "uncommitted" to either leader. *]
|}

{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
|-
!style= "background-color:#EBE1E2" rowspan=2 align="center" | '''Roy Morgan<br>Research'''
! colspan=9 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"|South Australian state voting intention
|-
!style="background-color:#cccccc" align="center" colspan=7|Political parties
!style="background-color:#EBBCE3" align="center" colspan=2|Two party preferred
|-
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Labor
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Liberal
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Democrats
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Family<br>First
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |SA<br>Greens
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |One<br>Nation
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Other
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Labor
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Liberal
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |December 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="" |55.5%
| align="center" bgcolor="" |27.0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |3%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |0.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |6%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |66%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |34%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |'''March 2006 ¹'''
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |50.5%
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |30.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |8%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |0.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |6.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |61.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |38.5%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |February 2006 ²
| align="center" bgcolor="" |50.5%
| align="center" bgcolor="" |31.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |3.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |5.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |61.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |38.5%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |January 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |50.5%
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |33%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |3%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |3.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |4.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |0.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |60.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |39.5%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |December 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="" |49%
| align="center" bgcolor="" |32%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |5.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |60.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |39.5%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |October 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |50%
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |33%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |3.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |3.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |4.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |0.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |62.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |37.5%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |August 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="" |53%
| align="center" bgcolor="" |32%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |3%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |3.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |3.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |62%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |38%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |June 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |54%
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |33%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |0.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |3.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |62%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |38%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |'''2002 Election'''
| align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |36.3%
| align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |40%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |7.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |2.6%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |2.4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |2.4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |8.8%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |49.1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |50.9%
|-
| style="font-size: 80%" colspan=10 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"|Source: - ¹ Post-election announcement - ² Pre-election announcement<br>
|}
<br style="clear:both">
{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
|-
!style= "background-color:#EBE1E2" rowspan=2 align="center" | '''Newspoll<br>Market Research'''
! colspan=10 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"|South Australian state voting intention
|-
!style="background-color:#cccccc" align="center" colspan=8|Political parties
!style="background-color:#EBBCE3" align="center" colspan=2|Two party preferred
|-
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Labor
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Liberal
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |National
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Democrats
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Family<br>First
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |SA<br>Greens
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |One<br>Nation
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Other
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Labor
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |Liberal
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Jan - Mar 2007
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |48%
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |29%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |6%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |10%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |61%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |39%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |Oct - Dec 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="" |47%
| align="center" bgcolor="" |33%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |3%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |10%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |58%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |42%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |'''15 - 16 Mar 2006'''
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |46%
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |33%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |1.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |1.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |3%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |11%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |57%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |43%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |Jan - Feb 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="" |44%
| align="center" bgcolor="" |37%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |3%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |10%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |54%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |46%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Oct - Dec 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |46%
| align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |35%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |10%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |56%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |44%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="" |Jul - Sep 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="" |45%
| align="center" bgcolor="" |38%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |2%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |0%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |10%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |54%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="" |46%
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |'''2002 Election'''
| align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |36.3%
| align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |40%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |1.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |7.5%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |2.6%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |2.4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |2.4%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |7.3%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |49.1%
| align="center" width="" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |50.9%
|-
| style="font-size: 80%" colspan=11 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"|Source: <br>
|}
<br style="clear:both">

==Results==
===House of Assembly===

{| class="wikitable" style= "float:right;margin-left:1em;margin-top:0em;"
|-
| colspan="7" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" | <p align="center">
'''2006 ] Results'''<ref name="Results"/></p>
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Enrolled Voters'''
| align="right"| 1,055,347
| width="33" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" |
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" width="198" |
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Votes Cast'''
| align="right"| 974,190
| width="33" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" |
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" width="67" | '''Turnout'''
| align="right"| 92.3
| align="right"| -1.3
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Informal Votes'''
| align="right"| 35,029
| width="33" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" |
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Informal&nbsp;%'''
| align="right"| 3.6
| align="right"| +0.5
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Party'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''First Preference'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''%'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Change %'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Seats'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Change'''
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Labor}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 424,715 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 424,715
| align="right"| 45.2 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 45.2
| align="right"| +8.9 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | ↑8.9
| align="right"| 28 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 28
| align="right"| +5 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | ↑5
|- |-
| ]
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 319,041
| ]
| align="right"| 319,041 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 34.0
| align="right"| 34.0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | ↓6.0
| align="right"| -6.0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 15
| align="right"| 15 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | ↓5
| align="right"| -5 |- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Greens}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 60,949 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 60,949
| align="right"| 6.5 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 6.5
| align="right"| +4.1 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑4.1
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
|- |-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Family First}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 55,192 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 55,192
| align="right"| 5.9 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 5.9
| align="right"| +3.3 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑3.3
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Democrats}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 27,179 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 27,179
| align="right"| 2.9 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 2.9
| align="right"| -4.6 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↓4.6
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
|- |-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Nationals}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 19,636 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #070;" | 19,636
| align="right"| 2.1 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #070;" | 2.1
| align="right"| +0.6 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #070;" | ↑0.6
| align="right"| 1 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #070;" | 1
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #070;" | 0
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| Independents
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 3
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
|- |-
| '''Total'''
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;" | '''939,161'''
| ]
| &nbsp;
| align="right"| 3,974
| &nbsp;
| align="right"| 0.4
| align="right"| +0.4 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;" | '''47'''
| &nbsp;
| align="right"| 0
|}
| align="right"| 0

=== Pendulum ===
{{main|South Australian election pendulum, 2002}}
Marginal seats, i.e. those held with two-candidate preferred margins of 6% or less, are the most likely to change hands at an election. The table below shows the Assembly seats considered marginal by psephologist ], based on boundaries from the 2002 redistribution. In Green's view, the changed boundaries were unlikely to have been a significant factor in the result. Sitting MPs who did not contest the 2006 election are shown in italics.

{| class="toccolours" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: .4em;font-size: 90%;" width="100%"
|- bgcolor="#ccccff"
| colspan="8" align="center" | '''Marginal assembly seats, 2002 redistribution'''<ref>, ABC Online, accessed ] ].</ref>
|- |-
! align="left" width="15%" | Seat
|{{Australian politics/party colours/One Nation}}|&nbsp;
! align="left" width="15%" | MP
| ]
| align="right"| 2,591 ! align="left" width="10%" | Party
| align="right"| 0.3 ! align="left" width="10%" | Margin
| align="right"| -2.1 ! align="left" width="15%" | Seat
| align="right"| 0 ! align="left" width="15%" | MP
| align="right"| 0 ! align="left" width="10%" | Party
! align="left" width="10%" | Margin
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 5.8%
|
|
|
|
|- |-
| align="left" | ]
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ] | align="left" | ]
| align="right"| 2,131 | align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| align="right"| 0.2 | align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 5.3%
|
| align="right"| +0.2
|
| align="right"| 0
|
| align="right"| 0
|
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| align="left" | ]<ref>Labor two-party preferred result against Liberals shown</ref>
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #444;" | Independent
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #444;" | 4.7%
|
|
|
|
|- |-
| align="left" | ]
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| align="left" | ]
| ]
| align="right"| 23,753 | align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| align="right"| 2.5 | align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 3.7%
|
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
|
| align="right"| 3
|
| align="right"| +1
|
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 3.6%
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" | '']''
| align="left" style="color: #007;" | Liberal
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #007;" | 5.5%
|- |-
| align="left" | ]
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ] | align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 3.6%
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| -1.8 | align="left" | ]
| align="left" | '']''
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| 0 | align="left" style="color: #007;" | Liberal
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #007;" | 5.0%
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 3.5%
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #007;" | Liberal
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #007;" | 3.6%
|- |-
| align="left" | ]
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| align="left" | ]
| ]
| align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 3.2%
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="left" | ]
| align="right"| -0.8
| align="left" | ]
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| -1 | align="left" style="color: #007;" | Liberal
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #007;" | 3.3%
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| align="left" | ]<ref>Independent two-party preferred result against Liberals shown</ref>
| align="left" | '']''
| align="left" style="color: #444;" | Independent
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #444;" | 2.2%
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #007;" | Liberal
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #007;" | 2.3%
|- |-
| align="left" | ]
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Total'''
| align="right"| 939,161 | align="left" | ]
| align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 0.6%
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| 47 | align="left" | ]
| align="left" | ]
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="left" style="color: #007;" | Liberal
|-
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #007;" | 2.1%
| colspan="7" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" | <p align="center">
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
''']</p>
| align="left" | ]
|-
| align="left" | ]
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Labor}}|&nbsp;
| align="left" style="color: #700;" | Labor
| ]
| align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #700;" | 0.5%
| align="right"| 533,290
| align="right"| 56.8 | align="left" | ]
| align="right"| +7.7 | align="left" | ]
| align="right"| 32 | align="left" style="color: #007;" | Liberal
| align="right"| +8 | align="left" style="font-size: 150%;color: #007;" | 2.1%
|}<br clear=all />
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| ]
| align="right"| 405,871
| align="right"| 43.2
| align="right"| -7.7
| align="right"| 15
| align="right"| -8
|-
|}
{{dablink|For a list of candidates, see ].}}


=== Key Labor wins ===
The final results for the House of Assembly seats were 28 Labor, 15 Liberal, three independents and one National. First preference and two party preferred statistics for each district are available through the ] article.


The inner-city district of ''']''' saw Education Minister and former Lord Mayor ] challenged by Liberal Diana Carroll, a high-profile past president of the ]. Lomax-Smith comprehensively defeated Carroll with a 9.2% swing to Labor on the two-party-preferred (2PP) vote.
Labor won six of eight key seats, the Liberals one of three key seats.<ref name="Key">Green, Antony. , ''ABC elections SA''. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Labor's wins included the previously marginal Liberal seats of ], ], ], ], ] and ]. The Liberals regained Peter Lewis' seat of ].


With the retirement of sitting Liberal ''']''' MP and former minister ], this marginal Liberal seat was considered open. Labor candidate ], a teacher and former journalist, enjoyed a 14.4% swing against the Liberals in 2PP terms.
National ] and Independents ], ] and ] were all re-elected. Hanna was elected at the ] as a Labor candidate; this counted as a loss for Labor, giving Labor a net gain of five seats.


''']''' was the Liberals' most marginal seat at the 2002 election, yet MP ] managed to hold it against a swing to the ALP. Although the redistribution bolstered the Liberals' hold on the seat in notional terms, a 6.8% 2PP swing to Labor's ] was more than enough to dislodge Scalzi.
Labor, the Liberals and the Greens ran in all 47 seats, the Democrats ran in all but ] which resulted in a contested seat vote of three percent, Family First ran in all but ] and ] with a contested seat vote of 6.1 percent, with the Nationals running in ], ], ], and ], with a subsequent contested seat vote of 24.8 percent. Dignity for Disabled ran in ten seats, No Rodeo in seven seats, and One Nation in six seats.<ref>, Upperhouse.info, Retrieved on ], ].</ref>


''']''', on Adelaide's nothern fringe, had consistently returned Liberal candidates since the Second World War, but successive redistributions turned this once-rural seat into an outer-suburban one. Labor took the seat for the first time with a 4.4% 2PP swing. Labor candidate ], a former mayor of Gawler, enjoyed a higher profile than Liberal incumbent ], a grazier and former minister.
] became speaker of the ].


Well-known sports journalist ] was Labor's candidate in Liberal-held ''']'''. Bignell defeated the Liberals' ], a former minister, with a 5.8% 2PP swing. A decision by the conservative ] not to preference either party in the seat probably assisted the ALP.
====Key Liberal seats====
The outer southern suburbs district of ] was first won by former Liberal Police Minister ] in the ]. He was defeated by Labor candidate and former radio presenter ] who received a 5.7 percent two party preferred swing.


The 2002 redistribution cut 0.7% from ''']''' Liberal MP ]'s majority. Faced with Labor's ], a member of the ], the disgraced former minister and wife of former premier ] saw her 2PP vote decline by 11.2%, more than enough to cost her the seat.
The other outer suburbs district that fell to Labor was ], which was held since 1989 by former Liberal energy minister ]. Matthew decided to retire at this election; subsequently the seat was contested for the Liberals by Legislative Council member ]. Redford faced a tougher fight than expected<ref>, PollBludger.com. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and was defeated by Labor candidate ] who received a huge 14.4 percent swing on a two party preferred basis, the largest in the state.


In the seat of ''']''', the Liberals lost sitting MP and former minister ] to retirement. Liberal candidate and local councillor ] sufffered an enormous 12.3% swing at the hands of Labor's ], a ministerial adviser.
The inner southern suburbs district of ] was won in 2002 by outspoken Liberal ] who failed to win Liberal preselection for the seat in the lead up to the 2006 election and attempted to gain backing to contest the marginal Labor seat of Adelaide, but was shrouded in a controversy concerning a sexual relationship that Brindal had with a mentally ill man.<ref>Curtis, Christopher. , Gay.com Australia, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> The Liberal candidate was businessman ], while the Labor candidate was Unley Mayor ], who received a 7.9 percent two party preferred swing, narrowly missing out on picking up the seat by 1.1 percent.


The eastern suburbs district of ''']''', held for Labor by former Norwood mayor ], was expected to be a tough contest, particularly after the Liberals' preselection of former ] footballer ]. Ciccarello retained the seat picking up a 3.7% swing on the two party preferred vote.
The inner north eastern suburbs district of ] had been won by ] in 1993 and held by a very narrow margin in each election since. The district has a very high proportion of ] and the ability to speak ] is considered by many commentators as vital to win the seat<ref>Green, Antony., ''ABC News online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> and was a factor in Labor's preselection of political staffer ]. Portolesi defeated Scalzi with a 5.9 percent two party preferred swing.


=== Key Liberal wins ===
The neighbouring district of ] was held before this election by former Liberal Tourism Minister ] since 1993. She was defeated by Labor candidate ]. Simmons received a 12 percent two party preferred swing, with Labor winning the seat for the first time since 1975.


The seat of ''']''' was held, in various incarnations, by ] for the Liberals from 1979 until his expulsion from the party in 2000. Lewis successfully recontested the seat in 2002 as an independent, and subsequently supported Rann's minority government. As expected, with Lewis's decision to contest an upper house seat in 2006, Hammond reverted to the Liberals, though not without a 4.0% 2PP swing to the ALP.
In the outer north-east, the district of ] had been won by Liberal ] since 1989, but after her decision to retire, the Liberal Party preselected police officer and local councillor ]. He was defeated by Labor candidate ], who won the seat with a 12.5 percent two party preferred swing.


The Liberal MP for ''']''', ], was at the time of the election Australia's longest-serving parliamentarian then in office. First elected in 1970, Gunn's substantial personal following is thought to have been a factor in the MP's successful defence of the seat: at 1.5%, the swing to Labor was substantially less than elsewhere in the state. Stuart and Mitchell, with 2PP margins of 0.6% each, are now the state's two most marginal seats.
In ], which contains ] and the outer northern suburbs, was recontested by sitting Liberal member and former Education Minister ]. He was defeated by Labor candidate and Gawler Mayor ], who received a 4.9 percent two party preferred swing. This seat fell to Labor for the first time since 1944.


The sitting Liberal MP for ''']''', ], had hoped to contest the seat of Adelaide, but withdrew from the election after revelations that he had had an affair. The new Liberal candidate, businessman ], held on to the seat for the party despite a 7.9% swing to the ALP. Labor candidate and mayor of Unley ] had contested the seat in 1997 as an independent and run in the 2002 election for a minor party.
The rural and outback district of ] was first won in 1997 by Liberal ], a former Speaker and Australia's longest currently serving parliamentarian<ref>, ''ABC elections SA'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> (the longest being ] at 51 years). As in 2002, he was challenged by Labor ministerial adviser ]. Unlike the Adelaide metropolitan area and the neighbouring seat of ], there was only a small swing of 0.7 percent to Labor, subsequently Gunn managed to hang on with a margin of 0.6 percent.


====Key Labor seats==== === Key Independent wins ===


Independent ''']''' MP ], who resigned from the Liberals in 2000, held the seat in the face of a swing to the ALP, thanks largely to a collapse in the Liberal vote in the seat. Such improved on his 2002 election result by 11.7%, finishing first in the seat with 45.2% of the primary vote. Both Family First and the Greens preferenced against Such.
The inner eastern suburbs district of ], held for Labor by former Norwood mayor ], was expected to be a tough contest, particularly after the Liberal preselection of former ] footballer ].<ref name="Key"/></p> Ciccarello retained the seat picking up a 3.7 percent swing on the two party preferred vote.


Against expectations, Labor failed to regain the seat of ''']''' from independent MP ]. Hanna, first elected to Mitchell as an ALP candidate in ], resigned from the party in 2003 to become a Green. In 2006, he let his party membership lapse and contested the election as an independent. At the 2006 election, the Liberal vote collapsed – falling 17.4% – allowing Hanna to finish in second place and win the seat on the third-placed Liberal's preferences.
The other Labor seat considered under possible threat was the neighbouring inner city district of ] where high profile Education Minister and former Lord Mayor ] was challenged by Liberal ].<ref name="Key"/></p> Lomax-Smith comprehensively defeated Carroll with a 9.2 percent swing to Labor on the two party preferred vote.


A pre-election opinion poll conducted for the ''Adelaide Advertiser'' suggested that independent ''']''' MP ] would suffer for taking a seat in the Labor cabinet. Despite suffering a swing of 22.8% to the Liberal candidate, McEwen held on thanks to the seat's 'very safe' status. Mount Gambier's new margin is 6.3%, just outside of marginal territory.
====Key Independent seats====


== Legislative Council ==
The southern suburbs district of ] was won at the ] by ], who was a Labor member. After the election, Hanna left Labor to join the ] and subsequently left the Greens to become an independent on 8 February 2006. Hanna faced a tough contest to hold his seat against a challenge by Labor's Rosemary Clancy. Despite expectations before the election of a safe Labor win, Hanna defeated the Labor candidate by 0.6 percent of the vote with the aid of Liberal preferences.<ref>, PollBludger.com. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>


=== Results ===
The district of ], located in Adelaide's south, was held by independent MP Dr ]. Late in the campaign, there was some speculation that Fisher may be a closer contest than commentators initially expected,<ref>Green, Antony. , ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> but Such comfortably defeated both Labor candidate ] and Liberal candidate ] with an independent candidate election best 45.2 percent of the primary vote, picking up a 4.6 percent two party preferred swing. The election outcome saw Such facing the Labor candidate on the two party preferred vote as opposed to the Liberal candidate in 2002.


{| class="toccolours" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: .4em;" width="98%"
The Riverland based district of ] is the only seat in South Australia held by a ] member. ] Minister ] won comfortably against a challenge by Liberal ]. Maywald received a 3.2 percent swing on the two party preferred vote.
|- bgcolor="#ccccff"

| colspan="8" align="center" | '''Legislative Council election, 2006'''
The ] based district of ] was won in 2002 by independent MP Peter Lewis who cut a deal after the ] which delivered government to Labor. Facing almost certain defeat in Hammond, he declined to recontest the district and failed in his attempt to win a seat in the Legislative Council.<ref>, PollBludger.com. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref name="Results"/></p> Hammond was won comfortably by Liberal ].
|- style="font-size: 90%;"

! align=left width="23%" | Party
The district of ] (which also includes much of South Australia's south east) was a close contest between independent and Agriculture Minister ] and Liberal Peter Gandolfi. McEwen prevailed despite a 20.4 percent swing against him on the two party preferred vote.
! align=right width="11%" | Votes

! align=right width="11%" | % won
====Post-election pendulum====
! align=right width="11%" | Swing
{{dablink|For previous pendulums and maps, see ].}}
! align=right width="11%" | 2006 seats
The following pendulum<ref>Green, Antony. , ''ABC News online''. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> is known as the ], invented by ] ]. The pendulum works by lining up all of the seats held in the ] according to the ] margin they are held by on a two party preferred basis. This is also known as the ] required for the seat to change hands. Given a uniform swing to the oppostion or government parties, the number of seats that change hands can be predicted. Marginal 0-5.99 percent, Fairly Safe 6-10 percent, Safe >10 percent.<ref name="Results"/></p>
! align=right width="11%" | 2002 seats
{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
! align=right width="11%" | Total seats
|-
! align=right width="11%" | Change
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" |'''LABOR SEATS (32)'''
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="red" |<font color="white">'''Marginal'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="EEEEEE"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="EEEEEE"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="EEEEEE"|IND
| align="center" bgcolor="EEEEEE"|0.6% v ALP
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|2.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |2.2%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |4.2%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |4.6%
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="red" |<font color="white">'''Fairly safe'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDDD"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDDD"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDDD"|IND
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDDD"|6.2% v LIB
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |6.8%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |7.9%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |9.4%
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="red" |<font color="white">'''Safe'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |10.2%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |12.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |14.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |14.9%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |15.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |16.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |16.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|IND
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|16.7% v ALP
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |16.7%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="98fb98" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="98fb98" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="98fb98" |NAT
| align="center" bgcolor="98fb98" |17.2% v LIB
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |17.6%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |18.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |19.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |19.3%
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="red" |<font color="white">'''Very safe'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |22.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |24.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |24.5%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |25.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |25.7%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |25.8%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |26.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |27.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |28.5%
|}
{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center"|'''LIBERAL SEATS (15)'''</font>
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" |<font color="white">'''Marginal'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |0.6%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |1.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |3.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |3.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |4.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |5.4%
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" |<font color="white">'''Fairly safe'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |6.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |6.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |6.5%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |9.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |9.4%
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" |<font color="white">'''Safe'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |10.1% v NAT
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |12.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |12.8%
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="blue" |<font color="white">'''Very safe'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="AAAAFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="AAAAFF" |]
| align="left" bgcolor="AAAAFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="AAAAFF" |22.2%
|}

for boundary names.]]

for boundary names.]]

] map containing South Australia's 11 of the 150 Australian ] seats; three Labor (] held by less than one percent), eight Liberal (], ], and ] held by less than one percent). South Australia has six Liberal, five Labor, and one Democrats seats in the 76 member ]. All lower house seats, with three Liberal, two Labor and one Democrat upper house seat are up for re-election at the ].]]

<br style="clear:both">
{{South Australian Legislative Council}}
===Legislative Council===

{| class="wikitable" style= "float:right;margin-left:1em;margin-top:0em;"
|-
| colspan="7" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" | <p align="center">
'''2006 ] Results'''<ref name="Results"/></p>
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Enrolled Voters'''
| align="right"| 1,055,347
| width="33" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" |
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" width="198" |
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Votes Cast'''
| align="right"| 981,658
| width="33" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" |
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" width="67" | '''Turnout'''
| align="right"| 93.0
| align="right"| -1.1
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Informal Votes'''
| align="right"| 50,789
| width="33" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" |
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Informal&nbsp;%'''
| align="right"| 5.2
| align="right"| -0.2
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Party'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''First Preference'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''% '''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Change %'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Seats Won (])'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Seats Held'''
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Labor}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 340,632 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 340,632
| align="right"| 36.6 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 36.6
| align="right"| +3.7 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | ↑3.7
| align="right"| 4 (4.39) | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 4
| align="right"| 8 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 4
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | 8
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #700;" | ↑1
|- |-
| ]
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 241,740
| ]
| align="right"| 241,740 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 26.0
| align="right"| 26.0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | ↓14.1
| align="right"| -14.1 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 3
| align="right"| 3 (3.12) | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 5
| align="right"| 8 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | 8
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #007;" | ↓1
|-
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 190,958 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 190,958
| align="right"| 20.5 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 20.5
| align="right"| +19.2 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑19.2
| align="right"| 2 (2.46) | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 2
| align="right"| 2 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 2
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑2
|- |-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Family First}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 46,328 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 46,328
| align="right"| 5.0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 5.0
| align="right"| +1.0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑1.0
| align="right"| 1 (0.60) | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 1
| align="right"| 2 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 1
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 2
|-
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑1
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Greens}}|&nbsp;
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 39,852 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 39,852
| align="right"| 4.3 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 4.3
| align="right"| +1.5 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑1.5
| align="right"| 1 (0.51) | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 1
| align="right"| 1 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 1
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↑1
|- |-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Democrats}}|&nbsp;
| ] | ]
| align="right"| 16,412 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 16,412
| align="right"| 1.8 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 1.8
| align="right"| -5.5 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↓5.5
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
| align="right"| 1 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 1
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 1
|-
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↓2
|{{Australian politics/party colours/One Nation}}|&nbsp;
|- bgcolor="#eeeeff"
| ]
| Independents
| align="right"| 7,559
| align="right"| 0.8 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" |
| align="right"| -1.0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" |
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" |
| align="right"| 0 | align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
|-
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | 0
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;color: #444;" | ↓2
| ]
| align="right"| 6,617
| align="right"| 0.7
| align="right"| -0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Nationals}}|&nbsp;
| ]
| align="right"| 6,237
| align="right"| 0.7
| align="right"| +0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
| align="right"| 5,991
| align="right"| 0.6
| align="right"| +0.6
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
| align="right"| 5,615
| align="right"| 0.6
| align="right"| +0.6
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
| align="right"| 5,370
| align="right"| 0.6
| align="right"| +0.6
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Ban Live Animal Exports
| align="right"| 2,754
| align="right"| 0.3
| align="right"| +0.3
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| No ]
| align="right"| 2,334
| align="right"| 0.3
| align="right"| +0.3
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
| align="right"| 2,118
| align="right"| 0.2
| align="right"| +0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Stormy Summers Reform Party
| align="right"| 2,106
| align="right"| 0.2
| align="right"| +0.0
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Mick Dzamko
| align="right"| 1,581
| align="right"| 0.2
| align="right"| +0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
| align="right"| 6,665
| align="right"| 0.6
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
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|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
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| align="right"| -1.2
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|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
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| align="right"| -1.0
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|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| ]
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| align="right"| -0.9
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|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Independent ]
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| align="right"| -0.5
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|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Save The ] Party
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|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|&nbsp;
| SA Nuclear Free Future
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| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Total'''
| align="right"| 930,869
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| align="right"| 11
| align="right"| 22
|- |-
| '''Total'''
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;" | '''930,869'''
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;" | '''11'''
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;" | '''11'''
| align=right style="font-size: 100%;" | '''22'''
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|} |}
<br>
In the ], Labor won 4 seats, the Liberals won 3 seats, both ] member ] and his running mate ] were elected and ] and the ] won a seat each. Almost 40 percent of voters deserted the major parties for ] and the minor parties; this percentage has been steadily increasing over time.<ref> Australian National University, April, 2006, page 3 graph. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>


Of the 11 ] seats up for election, Labor won four and the Liberals three. Minor parties gained substantially at the expense of the Liberals: both ] member ] and his running mate ] were elected with 20.5% for their ticket. The conservative ] and the left-wing ] took one seat each.
Labor received a 3.7 percent swing, electing four councillors as in the previous election. ], ], ] and ] were all elected, with 4.39 quotas. ] was elected president of the ].


=== Major parties ===
On the other hand, the Liberal vote collapsed with a 14.1 percent swing against the Liberal Party. Having received five councillors in 2002, at this election the Liberal Party had just three councillors elected. ], ] and ] were elected on 3.12 quotas.


Labor benefited from 3.7% primary swing, winning 4.39 quotas: ], ], ] and ] were elected. Labor's council delegation increased from seven to eight. By contrast, the Liberal vote collapsed: falling 14.1% in primary terms. The opposition won 3.12 quotas: ], ] and ] were elected.
Before the election, ] member ] was popular with the media and in opinion polls,<ref>, Upperhouse.info, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> but he faced a tough campaign as a result of both major parties preferencing in favour of other independents and the minor parties.<ref>, State Electoral Office, South Australia, Retrieved on ], ].</ref> No Pokies received 20.5 percent of the vote, yielding 2.46 quotas, which translated into seats for both Xenophon and his running mate ]. Having been elected at the ] with 2.9 percent of the vote and other independent candidates at the 2002 election on 1.3 percent of the vote (Xenophon being a sitting member at that election), the No Pokies ticket received a swing of 19.2 percent.


=== Minor parties ===
The ]'s first member, ] MLC, was elected in 2002. Family First won 5 percent of the upper house vote with only a small swing of 0.98 percent, with candidate ] being elected on preferences.


] member ] made the transition from the assembly to the council in 2006. Despite lacking preference deals with the major parties, Xenophon's high public profile were enough to get himself and running mate ] across the line. The group's 20.5% share of the primary vote was only a couple of points shy of the Liberal party's total.
The ] won 4.3 percent of the upper house vote meaning a swing of 1.5 percent, narrowly securing ] for the last upper house seat on preferences. This is the first time The Greens have won a seat in South Australia.


], a small South Australia-based Christian conservative party that won a council seat in 2002, had shot to national prominence with the election of ] as a federal senator for Victoria in 2004. In 2006, the party added 1% to its council vote, enough to allow candidate ] to join Family First's ] in the upper house.
The ] fell to just one seat in the Legislative Council held by ], after ] was defeated in her bid for re-election after being appointed in 2003. The Democrats gained only 1.8 percent of the upper house vote after a 5.5 percent swing against them. Kanck has since announced that she will not recontest her seat at the next election, placing serious clouds over the future of the party in the state.<ref>, ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>


The ] entered the council for the first time in the state's history. Long a significant electoral force in other Australian upper houses, the Greens increased their primary vote by 1.5% to 4.3%, securing the last seat for candidate ].
Pauline Hanson's ] gained 0.8 percent of the upper house vote and won none of the six lower house seats they contested. Their highest vote was 4.1 percent in the district of ], followed by 2.7 percent in ], and the other four hovering around 1 percent.

] ran for the first time and won 0.6 percent of the upper house vote and won none of the 10 lower house seats they contested. Their best results were ] as well as ], with 2.4 percent in each (506 and 492 votes respectively).

Labor-turned-independent ] and Liberal-turned-independent ] both failed in their bids for re-election.

==Legacy==
The aftermath of the election saw conservative ] (son of former politician ]) become the new opposition leader, with moderate ] (daughter of former politician ]) as deputy leader. The only other contestant for opposition leader was ] who ran for the reason that she was unhappy that the Evans deal had already been allegedly stitched up by federal Liberal counterparts ] and ].<ref name="Oppn"/> Preferred premier ratings in July 2006 showed Rann on 71 percent with Evans on 15 percent. Only 27 percent of Liberal Party supporters saw Evans as the preferred premier.<ref> Roy Morgan Research, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

Treasurer ] apologised to ] for a drunken altercation in July 2006.<ref> ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Previously unknown-quantity ] who was elected on the back of ]'s ] popularity has displayed conservative policies, such as raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21,<ref>Allison, Lisa. "Raise drink age to 21", ''The Advertiser'', ], ], p.24.</ref> zero tolerance of illicit drugs, mandatory twice-annual drug tests of every South Australian school student over the age of fourteen regardless of whether or not parents give their consent,<ref>Klening, Xanthe. "MP's move to drug test all teens", ''The Advertiser'', ], ], p.5. </ref><ref> ''] Stateline'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> making the sale of "drug-taking equipment" illegal,<ref>"Ban the bong, say MP's", ''The Advertiser'', ], ].</ref><ref>Allison, Lisa. "Cocaine kits on sale in city shop window", ''The Advertiser'', ], ], p.7.</ref> but she remains undecided on voluntary euthanasia calling it "a personal struggle".<ref>, ''Parliament of South Australia'', ] ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

Setting a precedent, ]'s pro-] speech which contained suicide methods was censored from the internet version of ] in August 2006 as a result of an upper house motion, with ], ], ] and ] voting for, and the ] and ] member ] voting against.<ref>Owen, Michael. "MPs turn up heat on Kanck 'damage'", ''The Advertiser'', ], ], p.10.</ref> Despite this, publication has gone ahead on a non-Australian website.<ref> Exit International US, Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

The state's budget was released on September 21 2006.<ref> Government of South Australia, Department of Treasury and Finance, Media Releases ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> It included 1,600 public service job axings despite an election pledge of only 400, however none of the redundancies will be forced. It also included increases in some fees and charges such as victims of crime levies and ] (TAFE) charges. There were increases in funding for health, schools, police and prisons, and the Department of Public Prosecutions.<ref> ''Sydney Morning Herald'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ]. </ref><ref> ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref>Foley, Kevin. Government of South Australia, ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

December 2006 saw ] of the opposition accuse the government of ignoring more than 600 parliamentary questions on notice, some dating back four years, relating to issues such as ministers' overseas travel and the Government's advertising expenditure. In the government's defence, ] replied that 500 or so of the questions have been put on notice in the last few months and that it takes hours to answer one question, and claims that the government has given the opposition more opportunities to ask questions than any previous government.<ref> ''ABC News Online'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

January 2007 saw the ] dominate headlines, with the federal Liberal Howard government proposing to requisition SA, VIC, and NSW state powers to bring the basin under federal government control in a $10 billion package over 10 years. Nationals MP ] took on the additional portfolio of Water Security, and with Premier Rann are pushing for an independent commission rather than a referral of powers from state to federal, which are the concessions that have been received as a part of the Premier agreeing to the federal proposal.<ref> ''Parliament of South Australia'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref> ''Government of South Australia'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

"South Australia's Strategic Plan" was released in March 2004<ref> ''Government of South Australia'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> which had six objectives: Growing Prosperity, Improving Wellbeing, Attaining Sustainability, Fostering Creativity and Innovation, Building Communities, and Expanding Opportunity. This ten-year plan was press released by Labor in January 2007 which saw Rann state ''"I delivered on that promise in June 2006. I am proud that the independent Audit Committee found that, just two years into a ten-year plan, we as a state have already either achieved, or are on track to achieve, more than 50 percent of the targets."''<ref> ''Government of South Australia'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref>

February 2007 saw Liberal party financial woes as well as party president and opposition leadership come to a head. At the Norwood meeting, Liberal leader ] reportedly said ''"When we lose the federal election at the end of the year, the Liberal Party will be in dire straits and we have got to plan to deal with that"''. The alleged gaffe drew a rebuke from one federal Liberal MP who labelled Evans and his state parliamentary team "hopeless". Party president Christopher Moriarty accused Evans of being "piss-weak and gutless" for not backing a business plan aimed at assisting the party out of it's financial situation since ] ceased bankrolling the party after a forceful resignation from his Liberal-appointed seat on the ] board due to taxation issues known prior to his appointment. High-ranking party members were canvassing support for an urgent no-confidence motion in Mr Moriarty. ''"Moriarty is to the Liberal Party what Mark Latham was to Labor."'', a senior source was quoted as saying, however, Evans has been ''counselled against challenging the party's controversial figurehead on the grounds he is likely to fail''. Speculation on the opposition leadership ranges from Iains being replaced sooner rather than later, to remaining in the position for the time being due to lack of options with 15 MPs remaining in the lower house,<ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref> ''The Australian'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> however there is speculation that previous aspirant ] may have a tilt as leader of the opposition, with ] as deputy.<ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref><ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Shortly after, Hamilton-Smith announced his leadership intentions to challenge Evans.<ref> ''The Advertiser'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Former Liberal Premier Kerin offered his opinion that Hamilton-Smith should and would fail,<ref> ''The Australian'', ], ]. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> however Hamilton-Smith defeated Evans on 13 votes to 10, becoming the new Liberal opposition leader.<noinclude></noinclude>


The ] lost both councillors facing re-election after suffering a swing of 5.5%. The sole remaining Democrat in the Legislative Council, ], has since announced her intention to retire at the end of her term in 2009.


Sitting independent councillor ], formerly of the ALP, failed in his re-election bid. Peter Lewis, the retiring Liberal-cum-independent MP for Hammond, also failed to make it onto the council.


==References== ==References==
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Revision as of 16:17, 11 April 2007

2006 South Australian state election
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Party Nationals Independents

A general election for the 51st Parliament of South Australia was held on Saturday, 18 March, 2006. The incumbent Australian Labor Party minority government, led by Mike Rann, won a majority in its own right thanks to a statewide two-party preferred swing of 7.7% and a gain of six House of Assembly seats.

For the opposition Liberal Party of Australia, the result represented the party's worst-ever electoral performance in the state's history, and cost leader Rob Kerin his job shortly after the election.

In the Legislative Council, the major parties finished with eight seats each. The big winner was the No Pokies group led by Nick Xenophon, which won 20.5% of the council vote and two seats: a vote share that rivalled the major parties.

Campaign

Main article: South Australian general election campaign, 2006

Labor consistently led the Liberals in opinion polls leading up to the election. The party ran a slick presidential-style campaign centred on their leader, with the slogan "Rann gets results." Labor, having been in office for one term, were also able to capitalise on fresh memories of the previous Liberal administration, in particular unpopular privatisations and school closures.

Electoral system

Main article: Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories § South Australia

The South Australian House of Assembly has 47 members, elected for four-year terms from single-member constituencies. The voting system is the full preferential form of the Alternative Vote used for the Federal House of Representatives. The South Australian Legislative Council has 22 members, elected for eight-year terms on a statewide basis by single transferable vote proportional representation. Half the members come up for election at each quadrennial election. Voting is compulsory.

Legislative Assembly

Results

Legislative Assembly election, 2007
Party Votes % won Swing Seats won Change
Australian Labor Party 424,715 45.2 ↑8.9 28 ↑5
Liberal Party of Australia 319,041 34.0 ↓6.0 15 ↓5
SA Greens 60,949 6.5 ↑4.1 0 0
Family First Party 55,192 5.9 ↑3.3 0 0
Australian Democrats 27,179 2.9 ↓4.6 0 0
Nationals SA 19,636 2.1 ↑0.6 1 0
Independents       3 0
Total 939,161     47  

Pendulum

Main article: South Australian election pendulum, 2002

Marginal seats, i.e. those held with two-candidate preferred margins of 6% or less, are the most likely to change hands at an election. The table below shows the Assembly seats considered marginal by psephologist Antony Green, based on boundaries from the 2002 redistribution. In Green's view, the changed boundaries were unlikely to have been a significant factor in the result. Sitting MPs who did not contest the 2006 election are shown in italics.

Marginal assembly seats, 2002 redistribution
Seat MP Party Margin Seat MP Party Margin
Reynell Gay Thompson Labor 5.8%
Giles Lyn Breuer Labor 5.3%
Mitchell Kris Hanna Independent 4.7%
Ashford Stephanie Key Labor 3.7%
Florey Frances Bedford Labor 3.6% Newland Dorothy Kotz Liberal 5.5%
Colton Paul Caica Labor 3.6% Bright Wayne Matthew Liberal 5.0%
Elder Patrick Conlon Labor 3.5% Mawson Robert Brokenshire Liberal 3.6%
Wright Jennifer Rankine Labor 3.2% Morialta Joan Hall Liberal 3.3%
Hammond Peter Lewis Independent 2.2% Light Malcolm Buckby Liberal 2.3%
Adelaide Jane Lomax-Smith Labor 0.6% Stuart Graham Gunn Liberal 2.1%
Norwood Vini Ciccarello Labor 0.5% Hartley Joe Scalzi Liberal 2.1%


Key Labor wins

The inner-city district of Adelaide saw Education Minister and former Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith challenged by Liberal Diana Carroll, a high-profile past president of the Public Relations Institute of Australia. Lomax-Smith comprehensively defeated Carroll with a 9.2% swing to Labor on the two-party-preferred (2PP) vote.

With the retirement of sitting Liberal Bright MP and former minister Wayne Matthew, this marginal Liberal seat was considered open. Labor candidate Chloe Fox, a teacher and former journalist, enjoyed a 14.4% swing against the Liberals in 2PP terms.

Hartley was the Liberals' most marginal seat at the 2002 election, yet MP Joe Scalzi managed to hold it against a swing to the ALP. Although the redistribution bolstered the Liberals' hold on the seat in notional terms, a 6.8% 2PP swing to Labor's Grace Portolesi was more than enough to dislodge Scalzi.

Light, on Adelaide's nothern fringe, had consistently returned Liberal candidates since the Second World War, but successive redistributions turned this once-rural seat into an outer-suburban one. Labor took the seat for the first time with a 4.4% 2PP swing. Labor candidate Tony Piccolo, a former mayor of Gawler, enjoyed a higher profile than Liberal incumbent Malcolm Buckby, a grazier and former minister.

Well-known sports journalist Leon Bignell was Labor's candidate in Liberal-held Mawson. Bignell defeated the Liberals' Robert Brokenshire, a former minister, with a 5.8% 2PP swing. A decision by the conservative Family First Party not to preference either party in the seat probably assisted the ALP.

The 2002 redistribution cut 0.7% from Morialta Liberal MP Joan Hall's majority. Faced with Labor's Lindsay Simmons, a member of the Equal Opportunity Tribunal, the disgraced former minister and wife of former premier Steele Hall saw her 2PP vote decline by 11.2%, more than enough to cost her the seat.

In the seat of Newland, the Liberals lost sitting MP and former minister Dorothy Kotz to retirement. Liberal candidate and local councillor Mark Osterstock sufffered an enormous 12.3% swing at the hands of Labor's Tom Kenyon, a ministerial adviser.

The eastern suburbs district of Norwood, held for Labor by former Norwood mayor Vini Ciccarello, was expected to be a tough contest, particularly after the Liberals' preselection of former Adelaide Crows footballer Nigel Smart. Ciccarello retained the seat picking up a 3.7% swing on the two party preferred vote.

Key Liberal wins

The seat of Hammond was held, in various incarnations, by Peter Lewis for the Liberals from 1979 until his expulsion from the party in 2000. Lewis successfully recontested the seat in 2002 as an independent, and subsequently supported Rann's minority government. As expected, with Lewis's decision to contest an upper house seat in 2006, Hammond reverted to the Liberals, though not without a 4.0% 2PP swing to the ALP.

The Liberal MP for Stuart, Graham Gunn, was at the time of the election Australia's longest-serving parliamentarian then in office. First elected in 1970, Gunn's substantial personal following is thought to have been a factor in the MP's successful defence of the seat: at 1.5%, the swing to Labor was substantially less than elsewhere in the state. Stuart and Mitchell, with 2PP margins of 0.6% each, are now the state's two most marginal seats.

The sitting Liberal MP for Unley, Mark Bridal, had hoped to contest the seat of Adelaide, but withdrew from the election after revelations that he had had an affair. The new Liberal candidate, businessman David Pisoni, held on to the seat for the party despite a 7.9% swing to the ALP. Labor candidate and mayor of Unley Michael Keenan had contested the seat in 1997 as an independent and run in the 2002 election for a minor party.

Key Independent wins

Independent Fisher MP Bob Such, who resigned from the Liberals in 2000, held the seat in the face of a swing to the ALP, thanks largely to a collapse in the Liberal vote in the seat. Such improved on his 2002 election result by 11.7%, finishing first in the seat with 45.2% of the primary vote. Both Family First and the Greens preferenced against Such.

Against expectations, Labor failed to regain the seat of Mitchell from independent MP Kris Hanna. Hanna, first elected to Mitchell as an ALP candidate in 1997, resigned from the party in 2003 to become a Green. In 2006, he let his party membership lapse and contested the election as an independent. At the 2006 election, the Liberal vote collapsed – falling 17.4% – allowing Hanna to finish in second place and win the seat on the third-placed Liberal's preferences.

A pre-election opinion poll conducted for the Adelaide Advertiser suggested that independent Mount Gambier MP Rory McEwen would suffer for taking a seat in the Labor cabinet. Despite suffering a swing of 22.8% to the Liberal candidate, McEwen held on thanks to the seat's 'very safe' status. Mount Gambier's new margin is 6.3%, just outside of marginal territory.

Legislative Council

Results

Legislative Council election, 2006
Party Votes % won Swing 2006 seats 2002 seats Total seats Change
Australian Labor Party 340,632 36.6 ↑3.7 4 4 8 ↑1
Liberal 241,740 26.0 ↓14.1 3 5 8 ↓1
No Pokies 190,958 20.5 ↑19.2 2 0 2 ↑2
Family First Party 46,328 5.0 ↑1.0 1 1 2 ↑1
SA Greens 39,852 4.3 ↑1.5 1 0 1 ↑1
Australian Democrats 16,412 1.8 ↓5.5 0 1 1 ↓2
Independents 0 0 0 ↓2
Total 930,869     11 11 22  


Of the 11 South Australian Legislative Council seats up for election, Labor won four and the Liberals three. Minor parties gained substantially at the expense of the Liberals: both No Pokies member Nick Xenophon and his running mate Ann Bressington were elected with 20.5% for their ticket. The conservative Family First Party and the left-wing Greens took one seat each.

Major parties

Labor benefited from 3.7% primary swing, winning 4.39 quotas: Carmel Zollo, Bob Sneath, Russell Wortley and Ian Hunter were elected. Labor's council delegation increased from seven to eight. By contrast, the Liberal vote collapsed: falling 14.1% in primary terms. The opposition won 3.12 quotas: Rob Lucas, John Dawkins and Michelle Lensink were elected.

Minor parties

No Pokies member Nick Xenophon made the transition from the assembly to the council in 2006. Despite lacking preference deals with the major parties, Xenophon's high public profile were enough to get himself and running mate Ann Bressington across the line. The group's 20.5% share of the primary vote was only a couple of points shy of the Liberal party's total.

Family First, a small South Australia-based Christian conservative party that won a council seat in 2002, had shot to national prominence with the election of Steve Fielding as a federal senator for Victoria in 2004. In 2006, the party added 1% to its council vote, enough to allow candidate Dennis Hood to join Family First's Andrew Evans in the upper house.

The SA Greens entered the council for the first time in the state's history. Long a significant electoral force in other Australian upper houses, the Greens increased their primary vote by 1.5% to 4.3%, securing the last seat for candidate Mark Parnell.

The Australian Democrats lost both councillors facing re-election after suffering a swing of 5.5%. The sole remaining Democrat in the Legislative Council, Sandra Kanck, has since announced her intention to retire at the end of her term in 2009.

Sitting independent councillor Terry Cameron, formerly of the ALP, failed in his re-election bid. Peter Lewis, the retiring Liberal-cum-independent MP for Hammond, also failed to make it onto the council.

References

  1. Electoral questions and answers: Election results: House of Assembly 1890-2002 (PDF), (a) Q.19 (b) Q.45, State Electoral Office, South Australia, 2006. Retrieved on 4 January, 2007.
  2. Green Guide electoral pendulum, ABC Online, accessed 11 April 2007.
  3. Labor two-party preferred result against Liberals shown
  4. Independent two-party preferred result against Liberals shown

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