Labor victorious, One Nation crawling up the preference ladder, and Liberals left scratching their heads.
In a closely watched election, South Australian favourite Peter Malinauskas has welcomed another victory for the Labor party this weekend, quelling fears of a One Nation takeover.
The Liberal party faded from the limelight, beaten to second place in voting preference by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. The right-wing party celebrated their second best electoral result in the country, since its infamous 1998 win in Queensland, which first allowed Hanson to enter the senate.
Malinauskas has consistently held political favour in South Australia, following a victory in the previous election. 32 seats have been won by his Labor party thus far, opposed by the remaining 15 seats, 4 of which occupied by the Liberals and 1 by One Nation. Several seats still remain in the balance.
Current polling reveals Labor is ahead with a 38% lead on first preference votes, with One Nation tailing behind at 22%. Liberal claws to 18%, the Greens sit at 10%, and other independents at 9%.
The numbers reveal a startling shift in Australian politics; no longer is it about the battle between Labor and Liberal, but Labor and One Nation. What was once the fringiest of fringe voices has entered centre-stage. Well, more like stage-right, with the Liberal party tucked away in the wings.
Counting continues in South Australia, with whispers of a One Nation win for the seat of MacKillop and potentially Ngadjuri. If won, this would mark the party’s first lower house victory outside of Queensland.
Meanwhile, Mr Malinauskas has made it his mission to usher in a more accepting, welcoming politics. Despite the noise, his first speech as premier invited One Nation voters to the table, pushing aside political differences for the sake of a kinder society.
“If we focus on what unites us – a shared love of living in a peaceful, prosperous place, a state full of hard-working people that value care and compassion – then we can harness this moment with our newfound confidence,” he said.
Entering his second term, and already promising to serve until the next election and beyond, Mr Malinauskas could potentially become Labor’s longest serving South Australia premier.
