South Australian state election, 2006
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2008-07-14T02:28:23Z
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 222245133 by [[Special:Contributions/87.114.5.252|87.114.5.252]] ([[User talk:87.114.5.252|talk]]) page deleted
{| class="toccolours" align="right" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" style="margin-left: .5em; margin-top: .4em; margin-bottom: 0.4em; font-size: 90%;"
|-
! style="text-weight: bold; font-size: 110%;"| State election major party leaders
|-
! colspan=6 align="center"| [[Template:Government of South Australia|<]] [[South Australian state election, 2002|2002]] [[South Australian state election, 2006|2006]] [[Next South Australian state election|next]]
|-
| valign="top" style="padding-top: 5px; text-align: center; border: solid 1px red;"|[[Image:MikeRannCrop.JPG|left|150px]]<br />
'''Labor'''<br />
'''[[Mike Rann]]'''<br />
'''Premier'''<br />
'''Parliament''': 21 years<br />
'''Leader since''': 1994<br />
'''Division''': [[Electoral district of Ramsay|Ramsay]]<br /><br />'''WIN'''
|-
| style="padding-top: 5px; text-align: center; border: solid 1px #06c;"|<br />
'''Liberal'''<br />
'''[[Rob Kerin]]'''<br />
'''Opposition Leader'''<br />
'''Parliament''': 13 years<br />
'''Leader since''': 2001<br />
'''Division''': [[Electoral district of Frome|Frome]]
|}
The '''state election''' for the 51st [[Parliament of South Australia]] was held in the [[Australia|Australian]] [[States and territories of Australia|state]] of [[South Australia]] on [[18 March]] [[2006]], and was conducted by the independent [[State Electoral Office]]. The [[centre-left]] [[Australian Labor Party]], in government since 2002 under [[Premier of South Australia|Premier]] [[Mike Rann]], gained six Liberal-held seats and a 7.7 percent statewide [[Swing (Australian politics)|two-party preferred swing]],<ref name="Results">[http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/election2006/pdf/Results_and_Outcomes_Booklet3.pdf SA 2006 election results and outcomes (PDF),] (a) P.14 (d) P.13, State Electoral Office, South Australia, 2006. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> resulting in the first Labor [[majority government]] since the [[South Australian legislative election, 1985|1985 election]] with 28 of the 47 [[South Australian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]] (lower house) seats, a net gain of five seats. The [[centre-right]] [[Liberal Party of Australia]], led by [[Rob Kerin]], regained a former independent seat while losing seats — the net result of 15 seats was the lowest Liberal result in any South Australian election.<ref name=QA>[http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/apps/uploadedFiles/news/276/SEO_QA06_13feb06.pdf 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]].</ref> [[independent (politician)|Independent]] members [[Bob Such]] and [[Rory McEwen]] retained their seats, with [[Kris Hanna]] successfully changing from Labor to an independent member. The sitting [[Nationals SA]] member [[Karlene Maywald]] retained her seat.
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''House of Assembly ([[Instant-runoff voting|IRV]]) — Turnout 92.31% ([[Compulsory voting|CV]]) — Informal 3.60%'''
| style="width:20px" |
| style="width:180px" | '''Party'''
| style="width:70px" align=center | '''Votes'''
| style="width:40px" align=center| '''%'''
| style="width:40px" align=center| '''Swing'''
| style="width:40px" align=center| '''Seats'''
| style="width:40px" align=center| '''Change'''
|-
| bgcolor=red |
| [[Australian Labor Party]]
| align=right| 424,715
| align=right| 45.22
| align=right| +8.88
| align=right| 28
| align=right| +5
|-
| bgcolor=blue |
| [[Liberal Party of Australia]]
| align=right| 319,041
| align=right| 33.97
| align=right| −6.00
| align=right| 15
| align=right| −5
|-
| bgcolor=#00FF00 |
| [[SA Greens]]
| align=right| 60,949
| align=right| 6.49
| align=right| +4.13
| align=right| 0
| align=right| 0
|-
| bgcolor=cyan |
| [[Family First Party]]
| align=right| 55,192
| align=right| 5.88
| align=right| +3.24
| align=right| 0
| align=right| 0
|-
| bgcolor=orange |
| [[Australian Democrats]]
| align=right| 27,179
| align=right| 2.89
| align=right| −4.60
| align=right| 0
| align=right| 0
|-
| bgcolor=green |
| [[Nationals SA]]
| align=right| 19,636
| align=right| 2.09
| align=right| +0.64
| align=right| 1
| align=right| 0
|-
| bgcolor=gray |
| [[Independent (politician)|Independents]]
| align=right| 25,884
| align=right| 2.76
| align=right|
| align=right| 3
| align=right| 0
|-
| bgcolor=gray |
| Other
| align=right| 6,565
| align=right| 0.70
| align=right|
| align=right| 0
| align=right| 0
|-
|
| Total
| align=right| 939,161
| align=right|
| align=right|
| align=right| '''47'''
| align=right|
|-
| bgcolor=red |
| '''[[Australian Labor Party]]'''
| align=center|'''WIN'''
| align=right| '''56.80'''
| align=right| +7.70
| align=right| '''32'''
| align=right| +8
|-
| bgcolor=blue |
| [[Liberal Party of Australia]]
| align=center|
| align=right| 43.20
| align=right| −7.70
| align=right| 15
| align=right| −8
|}
Independents: [[Rory McEwen]], [[Bob Such]], [[Kris Hanna]]<br /><br />
In the 22-member [[South Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] (upper house), both major parties finished with a total of eight seats each, with Labor winning four and the Liberals winning three. [[No Pokies]] independent [[Nick Xenophon]] polled 20.5 percent, an unprecedented result for an independent or minor party which resulted in both Xenophon and his running mate, [[Ann Bressington]] being elected. Xenophon's third running mate, [[John Darley (Australian politician)|John Darley]], was appointed to the vacancy created by Xenophon's later resignation. [[Family First]] had a second member elected, the [[Australian Democrats|Democrats]] vote collapsed leaving one remaining member, and the [[SA Greens]] won a seat for the first time.
Following the outcome of the election, the member for [[Electoral district of Davenport|Davenport]], [[Iain Evans]], replaced Kerin as opposition leader,<ref name="Oppn">Emmett, Patrick. [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2006/s1602037.htm Can Liberals heal rifts?] ''Stateline SA'', [[24 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> with member for [[Electoral district of Waite|Waite]], [[Martin Hamilton-Smith]] replacing Evans in April 2007.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2006/s1898002.htm New Liberal Leader] ''Stateline'' ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]), [[13 April]], [[2007]]. Retrieved on [[6 May]], [[2007]].</ref>
==Party backgrounds==
===Australian Labor Party===
The [[Australian Labor Party]] is [[Australia]]'s oldest political party, founded in 1891. It is a [[centre-left]] [[social democratic]] party which is formally linked to the [[trade union]] [[Australian labour movement|labour movement]]. On a [[states and territories of Australia|state]] level, Labor has been in government since 2002, after having been in opposition from 1993 to 2002. Since the [[South Australian general election, 1965|1965 election]] ending 26 years under LCL [[Premiers of South Australia|Premier]] [[Thomas Playford IV]] and the electoral [[malapportionment]] of the [[Playmander]], 10 of 14 elections have been won by Labor. Labor's premiers in South Australia include [[Thomas Price]] in the 1900s, to the reformist [[Don Dunstan]] in the 1970s to the factionally nonaligned and pragmatic current premier, [[Mike Rann]].<ref>[http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=504 Rann nominated for National ALP President], Government of South Australia, [[16 August]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The party's deputy leader, and therefore the Deputy Premier, is [[Kevin Foley]].
===Liberal Party of Australia===
The [[Liberal Party of Australia]] is a [[centre-right]] [[Conservative liberalism|conservative liberal]] party (see [[Liberalism in Australia]]), with close links to business and advocating [[free markets]]. Whilst primarily a [[Social conservatism|social conservative]] party, there exists a more [[Social liberalism|social liberal]] wing, colloquially known as 'wet', 'moderate' or [[small-l liberal]]s, highlighted by the short-lived [[Liberal Movement]] who first contested the [[South Australian general election, 1975|1975 election]] as a separate party led by [[Steele Hall]]. At [[states and territories of Australia|state]] level, the [[Liberal Party of Australia]] in 1973 descended from the [[Liberal and Country League]] (LCL), which resulted from a merger between the [[Liberal Federation]] and the then-Country Party in 1932. The state opposition leader at the 2006 election, [[Rob Kerin]], was factionally nonaligned.<ref>Parker, Lachlan. [http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s397389.htm New Liberal Premier for SA], ABC PM Transcript, [[22 October]], [[2001]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
===Nationals SA===
The [[Nationals SA]] are a sub-division of the [[conservatism|conservative]] [[National Party of Australia]] (formerly the Country Party). First contesting the [[South Australian general election, 1965|1965 election]], they have only held two seats at alternating periods; [[Electoral district of Flinders|Flinders]] (1973–1993) and [[Electoral district of Chaffey|Chaffey]] (1997–current).<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/pastelec.htm Past Elections (House of Assembly)], ''ABC Elections SA'', 2006. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Their sole member and leader, [[Karlene Maywald]], representing the [[Riverland]] district of Chaffey, accepted a cabinet position in the Rann 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. [http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1592679.htm SA "Labor deal promises Nats Cabinet position"], ABC 7:30 Report transcript, [[15 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> This informal ALP-NAT coalition (the first since 1935) caused uproar, with [[Christopher Pyne]] calling for Maywald's expulsion from the Nationals and [[Patrick Secker]] calling for a corruption enquiry in to the appointment – neither eventuated.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2004/s1160740.htm SA Govt recruits National Party MP], ABC PM transcript, [[23 July]], [[2004]]. Retrieved on [[3 February]], [[2007]].</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.
===SA Greens===
The [[SA Greens]], founded in 1995 are a sub-division of the left-wing [[Australian Greens]]. They are based on [[green politics]] and consider themselves a [[new politics]] party with strong beliefs in [[ecology]], [[democracy]] and [[social justice]] amongst other issues.<ref>[http://www.sa.greens.org.au/charter.htm The Greens Charter], sa.greens.org.au, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Federally and locally they have seen a continued rise in primary votes, in part due to the demise of the [[Australian Democrats]].<ref>[http://arts.anu.edu.au/democraticaudit/papers/20060411_and_mann_elec_sa.pdf Implications for democracy in the Festival State(PDF)], Australian National University, April, 2006, page 5. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The [[Australian federal election, 2007|2007 federal election]] saw 77.28% of preferences flow to Labor over the Liberal Party in SA. The party's leader is [[Mark Parnell]].
===Family First Party===
The [[Family First Party]], founded immediately before the [[South Australian legislative election, 2002|2002 state election]], has a political ideology based on [[Christian]]-influenced [[conservatism]]. Although officially a secular party, it has close links to the [[Pentecostal]] movement,<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2004/weblog/200409/s1203451.htm Who is Family First?], ''ABC - Matt Liddy's Poll Vault'', [[21 September]], [[2004]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> and in particular the [[Assemblies of God in Australia|Assemblies of God]] denomination,<ref>[http://www.cdp.org.au/fed/lamb/column/0411.asp Family First, Faith Second], Christian Democratic Party, November, 2004. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> and its social policies generally mirror [[Conservative Christianity|conservative Christian values]] (but not necessarily [[Political conservatism|politically conservative values]]). The [[Australian federal election, 2007|2007 federal election]] saw 57.10% of preferences flow to the Liberals over the Labor Party in SA. The party's leader at the time of the election was [[Andrew Evans]].
===Australian Democrats===
The [[Australian Democrats]] were originally a centrist party, with most current policies based on [[social liberalism]]. Federally, the party was founded in 1977 from three different groups, all of which had split from the Liberal Party at different times: the [[small-l liberal]] [[Liberal Movement]], which had split from its parent over electoral reform; the [[Australia Party]], which had rebelled against Australia's involvement in the [[Vietnam War]], and initial leader [[Don Chipp]], who left the [[Liberal Party of Australia]], dissatisfied with the increasing underrepresentation of small-l liberals. At the state level it is descended from the [[New LM|New Liberal Movement (New LM)]] of [[Robin Millhouse]], who held the Democrats' only lower house seats, [[Electoral district of Waite|Mitcham]] and its successor seat [[Electoral district of Waite|Waite]].<ref>[http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/waite.htm South Australian House of Assembly Election 2006: Waite], PollBludger.com, 2006. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The Democrats have suffered internal problems and leadership scuffles since 1997. The [[Australian federal election, 2007|2007 federal election]] saw 65.79% of preferences flow to Labor over the Liberal Party in SA. The party's leader is [[Sandra Kanck]].
==Electoral system==
[[Image:STV GVT.gif|left|thumb|A sample STV federal upper house ballot paper illustrating group voting tickets]][[Image:GallagherSA06.PNG|right|thumb|The disproportionality of the 2006 election was 12.43 according to the [[Gallagher Index]].]]
South Australia is governed according to the principles of the [[Westminister system]], a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the [[United Kingdom]]. Legislative power rests with the [[Parliament of South Australia]], which consists of [[Queen of Australia|The Sovereign]] (represented by the [[Governor of South Australia]]), the [[South Australian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]] (lower house) which forms government, and the [[South Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] (upper house) as a house of review. Forty-seven members of the lower house represent [[South Australian House of Assembly electoral districts|single-member electorates]] and are elected under the [[preferential voting|preferential]] [[Instant-runoff voting]] (IRV) system for fixed four-year terms.<ref>[http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2005-06/06rn04.htm Timetable for the next Australian elections], Parliament of Australia Parliamentary Library, [[30 August]], [[2005]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The independent [[State Electoral Office]], which conducts elections, is responsible for a mandatory [[redistricting]] of boundaries before each election to ensure [[one vote one value]]. At each election, voters choose half of the 22 upper house members, each of whom serve eight-year terms in a single statewide electorate.
The Legislative Council is elected under the [[preferential voting|preferential]] [[Single Transferable Vote]] (STV) system through a means of [[Group voting ticket]]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 [[election management body]]. 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.
[[Image:Australian House of Representatives Ballot Paper.jpg|right|thumb|A sample IRV federal lower house ballot paper]]
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 five 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>[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/ticketprefs.htm Unique Features of South Australian Elections], ''ABC News Online'', [[14 February]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
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 is to be held on the third Saturday in March every four years. 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>[http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/apps/news/?sectionID=9&pageID=71 Election Process: Election Timetable], State Electoral Office, South Australia, [[3 July]], [[2003]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> On 20 February, Premier Mike Rann invited Governor [[Marjorie Jackson-Nelson]] to issue writs for the election.<ref>Haxton, Nance. [http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1574371.htm PM - SA election campaign begins], ABC PM Transcript [[20 February]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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 [[South Australian legislative elections]].}}
In the [[South Australian legislative election, 2002|2002 election]], 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, [[Peter Lewis (politician)|Peter Lewis]], decided to support Labor in exchange for holding a [[Constitutional Convention (Australia)|constitutional convention]], making him [[Speaker (politics)|speaker]] of the [[South Australian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]],<ref>O'Brien, Kerry. [http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2002/s481379.htm Labor to form govt in South Australia], ''ABC 7:30 Report'', [[13 February]], [[2002]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> and concessions for his electorate including the phasing out of [[commercial fishing]] in the River Murray, prioritising the eradication of the branched [[broomrape]] weed, changing water [[Rates (tax)|rates]] for [[irrigation]], fast-tracking a feasibility study for a [[weir]] and [[Lock (water transport)|lock]] at [[Wellington, South Australia|Wellington]], and improving rural roads.<ref>Bainger, Fleur.
[http://www.abc.net.au/rural/sa/stories/s482580.htm "Rural voters say they won't vote for Peter Lewis again"], ''ABC SA Country Hour'', [[15 February]], [[2002]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Lewis resigned as speaker in April 2005<ref>[http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/Internet/DesktopModules/memberdrill.aspx?PID=541 Peter Lewis Parliament Profile], Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> after controversy over allegations of paedophilia he had made about a serving MP.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1337848.htm "Lewis resigns as SA speaker"], ''ABC News Online'', [[4 April]], [[2005]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> However, by this time, Labor had already gained the support of independents [[Bob Such]]<ref>[http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/Internet/DesktopModules/memberdrill.aspx?pid=2819 Bob Such Parliament Profile], Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> and [[Rory McEwen]]<ref>[http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/Internet/DesktopModules/memberdrill.aspx?pid=560 Rory McEwen Parliament Profile], Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> in 2002, as well as [[Nationals SA]] member [[Karlene Maywald]]<ref>[http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/Internet/DesktopModules/memberdrill.aspx?pid=1783 Karlene Maywald Parliament Profile], Parliament of South Australia, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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>[http://www.mumble.com.au/sa/labor_handout.pdf Handout for Labor campaigners (PDF),] Mumble.com, 2006. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Commentators also argued that the "presidential" style of campaign could be seen in Labor's formal campaign launch at the [[Norwood Town Hall]] the Sunday before the election, which had some similarities to the [[nomination convention]]s that the major parties hold in the [[United States]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1589686.htm Rann stars in Labor launch], ''ABC News Online'', [[12 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
Another facet of the Labor campaign was extensive [[negative campaigning]] against Liberal leader Rob Kerin, including an advertisement featuring an excerpt of an interview that Kerin had with [[FIVEaa]] presenter [[Keith Conlon]] 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 [[David Feeney]] dismissed his concerns.<ref>Fewster, Sean. "Labor ad unfair: Conlon". ''The Advertiser'', [[2 March]], [[2006]], 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>[http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/hansard_data/2006/HA/WH200906.HA.htm Hansard 20/09/2006,] Parliament of South Australia, [[20 September]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> closed hospital wards,<ref>"An example of the "I'm alright Jack" attitude", ''The Advertiser'', 1995</ref> and privatised the [[Electricity Trust of South Australia]].<ref>Parkin, Andrew. "Political Chronicles – July to December 1998", ''Australian Journal of Politics and History'', vol 45 no 2, 1999, p.284. Available at [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst;jsessionid=GrkC8QG3VtlS21JX3HVTw97KpMZdy5GTtP5QH62pR1CLbZg2ydS7!465458540!-2074871484?a=o&d=5001277616 questia.com.]</ref>
[[Image:SA06posters.PNG|right|250px|thumb|Election posters usually found on [[stobie pole]]s in the lead-up to the election.]]
Considered "strapped for cash",<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1594961.htm Experts predict landslide win for SA Labor], ''ABC News Online'', [[18 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]]</ref> the Liberal Party ran a very limited television and radio campaign. Businessman [[Robert Gerard]] was forced to resign from his Federal Liberal Party-appointed position on the board of the [[Reserve Bank of Australia]] 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 [[Australian Taxation Office]], 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>[http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1592667.htm SA Liberals forced to change TV ad], ''ABC News Online'', [[15 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 February]], [[2007]]</ref> Kerin indicated people would have to "wait and see" if there would be any campaign, even asking [[Australian labour movement|trade unions]] for donations, no matter how small.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/weblog/200603/s1581300.htm No matter how small], ABC election pollvault, Retrieved on [[11 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The advertisements that did run argued that Labor was wasting record tax receipts from the [[Goods and Services Tax (Australia)|GST]].<ref>Starick, Paul. "Libs send a new message with texts". ''The Advertiser'', [[8 February]], [[2006]], 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 [[King O'Malley]] dropped the 'u' in 1912 to "modernise" it as per [[American English]])<ref>Tonkin, Richard. [http://webdiary.com.au/cms/?q=node/1332 There's No "I" in "team", and no "You" in Labor], Webdiary.com.au, [[17 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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'', [[16 March]], [[2006]], p. 7.</ref> During the election campaign, [[David Pisoni]], the Liberal candidate for [[Electoral district of Unley|Unley]], made allegations in his advertising that Labor and the Labor candidate [[Michael Keenan (South Australian politician)|Michael Keenan]] supported controversial [[Suburban infill|urban infill]] programmes, which Labor flatly denied. Electoral Commissioner [[Kay Mousley]] investigated and ordered that the advertisements be withdrawn and corrections be run at Pisoni's expense.<ref>[http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/unley.htm District of Unley], PollBludger.com, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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 [[Antony Green]] said that the "Labor government looks set to be returned with an increased majority".<ref>Eastley, Tony. [http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1593881.htm SA goes to the polls tomorrow,] ABC - AM Transcript, [[17 March]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> [[Centrebet]] had Labor at $1.01 [[AUD]] and the Liberals at $12.00 [[AUD]] for a majority government.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/weblog/20060227.htm Odds on favourite], ABC election pollvault, Retrieved on [[11 January]], [[2007]].</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>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1386341.htm Kerin to step down if Libs lose election,] ''ABC News Online'', [[7 June]], [[2005]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> a suspicion confirmed in Kerin's concession speech.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1821672.htm Kerin concedes defeat in SA election], ''ABC News Online'', [[18 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> [[Martin Hamilton-Smith]] 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. [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2005/s1483681.htm Has Rob Kerin saved his leadership but lost the election?] ''Stateline SA'', [[14 October]], [[2005]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
==Issues==
[[Image:Rann gets results.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Labor website header during the election campaign. Similar designs were used on ALP stationery and posters]]
One of the most publicised issues prior to the election was the tram extension from [[Victoria Square, Adelaide|Victoria Square]] to the [[Adelaide Railway Station]]<ref>[http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/tramextension/ Tramline Extension Project - Victoria Square to City West], Government of South Australia, Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> which the Liberals, despite having proposed the idea in their previous transport plan, now opposed.<ref>[http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=76906 "Calls for tram extension to be scrapped"], ''NineMSN'', [[9 June]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Construction began in April 2007<ref>[http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/tramextension/ Tramline Extension - Victoria Square to City West], Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure. Retrieved on [[7 April]], [[2007]].</ref> and was operational as of October 2007.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1839639.htm Govt approves Adelaide tramline extension project], ''ABC News Online'', [[3 February]] [[2007]]. Retrieved on [[3 February]], [[2007]].</ref> The [[Adelaide International Airport|Adelaide Airport]] expansion suffered fuel delivery related delays that Labor was criticised for.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200602/s1567712.htm "Adelaide airport gets all clear"], ''ABC News Online'', [[11 February]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Continued delays by Labor to improve the safety of the Britannia roundabout were focused on by the [[Electoral district of Norwood|Norwood]] Liberal candidate.<ref>Robins, Phil. [http://www.mumble.com.au/sa/robbins_2005_11.htm Rann runs into bumpy patch], Mumble.com, [[6 November]] [[2005]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> [[Land value tax|Land]] and [[payroll tax]] cuts worth $1.5 billion were announced by Labor, the largest in the state's history.<ref>Henschke, Ian.[http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2006/s1579284.htm "Parties debate the economy"], ''ABC Stateline SA'', [[24 February]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The tax cuts coincided with South Australia achieving an economic "Triple A" rating under the current Labor government.<ref>[http://www.adelaidereview.com.au/archives/2004_12_23/issuesandopinion_story4.shtml Economic climate has Rann in the sun], ''The Adelaide Review'', [[23 December]] [[2004]]. Retrieved on [[3 February]], [[2007]].</ref>
The construction of two bridges over [[Port River]] 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 [[RAA]], 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 [[Osborne, South Australia|Osborne]].<ref>[http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/portadelaide.htm District of Port Adelaide], ''PollBludger.com''. Retrieved on [[3 February]], [[2007]].</ref>
The future of the [[River Murray]] has come under threat due to falling water levels, and in an unprecedented move, Nationals MP [[Karlene Maywald]] was given a cabinet position as Minister for the River Murray in 2004.<ref>[http://www.savethemurray.com/news.php?action=latest_news&id=147 Maywald Minister For The River Murray] (Rann press release), SaveTheMurray.com, [[22 July]] [[2004]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Possible [[nuclear waste]] dumps were of concern to many Adelaide residents; Premier Rann successfully lobbied against any federal government proposals.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200407/s1153365.htm "Govt ditches nuclear dump plan"], ''ABC News Online'', [[14 July]] [[2004]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
Law and order was another key issue, with Labor promising extra police.<ref>[http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=325 4,000th officer - SA Police Force], Government of South Australia, [[28 June]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Tough [[Driving under the influence|drink and drug driving]] laws had also been introduced<ref>[http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/387/southau.shtml South Australia Announces Tough New Drug Laws], StoptheDrugWar.org, [[20 May]], [[2005]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> which included [[zero tolerance]] roadside testing for [[Tetrahydrocannabinol]] (THC) and [[Methamphetamine]], and later [[Methylenedioxymethamphetamine]] (MDMA).<ref>[http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1730281.htm "Opposition says Govt doing backflip on ecstasy testing"], ''ABC News Online'', [[31 August]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200305/s869049.htm SA speed amnesty ends tonight], ''ABC News Online'', [[31 May]], [[2003]]. Retrieved on [[8 March]], [[2007]].</ref> The Liberals proposed to increase the speed limit back to 60km/h for several roads, concentrated mainly around the [[Adelaide Park Lands]].
Allegations were made over the condition of the state's health system and the capacity to deal with mental health issues.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2006/s1591892.htm "Is the health system unhealthy?"], ''ABC Stateline SA'', [[15 March]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Labor pledged to buy back Modbury Hospital located in the district of [[Electoral district of Florey|Florey]], privatised under the Liberal government to alleviate the effect of the [[State Bank of South Australia|State Bank]] collapse.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1589611.htm "Rann promises hospital buy back"], ''ABC News Online'', [[12 March]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
The need for [[gay rights|homosexual law reform]] was acknowledged by both major parties; however, there was disquiet within the Labor Party over delays.<ref>[http://www.letsgetequal.org.au/Manifesto.pdf State election manifesto (PDF)], Letsgetequal.org, February, 2006. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>Bockman, Michelle Wiese. "Libs, Dems unite on gay unions". ''The Australian'', [[August 24]] [[2006]], 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 [[Family First]], as well as Liberal [[Terry Stephens]].<ref>[http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/hansard_data/2006/LC/WH071206.lc.htm "Statutes Amendment Domestic Partners bill"], ''Parliament of SA Hansard'', [[7 December]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[7 February]], [[2007]].</ref>
[[Electoral reform]] policies received little attention,<ref>[http://www.effectivevoting.org/Elections/SA2006.html South Australian State Election 2006], EffectiveVoting.org. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> as has the 2010 referendum proposed by the Rann Government to abolish or reform the [[South Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]].<ref>Rann, Mike. [http://www.ministers.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=55 Will the Legislative Council work with us?], Government of South Australia, [[27 April]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> [[Workers' compensation|WorkCover]] underfunded liability increases have also received little attention, despite the fact that the liability has climbed from a disputed $67 to $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>[http://www.abc.net.au/sa/news/200308/s916126.htm Claim SA WorkCover unfunded liabilities blow out to $400 million], ''ABC News Online'', [[3 August]] [[2003]]. Retrieved on [[3 February]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>[http://www.saliberals.org.au/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=5354 Rann must act over $1b WorkCover liability], ''Liberals SA'', [[20 November]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[3 February]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>[http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21138975-910,00.html WorkCover plan to axe payouts], ''The Advertiser'', [[30 January]] [[2007]]. Retrieved on [[3 February]], [[2007]].</ref>
There were claims that federal [[Labor relations|industrial relations]] reform, [[WorkChoices]], was an influential issue in the election.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1595324.htm "Beazley says IR reform influenced state elections wins"], ''ABC News Online'', [[19 March]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The Liberals announced 4,000 [[Public services|public service]] job cuts to pay for election promises.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060821152222/http://www.cpsu.asn.au/webnews/2006_State_Election.html Libs announce 4,000 job cuts], Community and Public Sector Union, [[2 March]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
<br style="clear:both">
== Polling ==
[[Newspoll]] polling is conducted via random telephone number selection in city and country areas. [[Roy Morgan Research| 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| margin of error]]) of ±3.2 percent for a 40 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%;"
|-
|+ '''Preferred premier ratings^'''
|-
! Date
! Labor
! Liberal
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Jan – Mar 2007
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |64%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |*14%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="" |Oct – Dec 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |61%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |*14%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |'''15–16 Mar 2006'''
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |63%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |21%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="" |Jan – Feb 2006
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |59%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |19%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Oct – Dec 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |60%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |16%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="" |Jul – Sep 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |60%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |16%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="e9e9e9" |Apr – Jun 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |60%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |17%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="" |Jan – Mar 2005
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |61%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |15%
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="B0E9DB" |'''Pre 2002 election'''
| align="center" bgcolor="FF6666" |30%
| align="center" bgcolor="00BFFF" |50%
|-
| style="font-size: 80%" colspan=3 bgcolor="#cceeff" align="center"|Source: [http://www.newspoll.com.au/cgi-bin/polling/display_poll_data.pl?url_caller=&mode=trend&page=show_polls&question_set_id=14 Newspoll/The Australian]<br />^ Remainder were "uncommitted"<br>to either leader. *[[Iain Evans]]
|}
{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
|-
|+ '''South Australian state voting intention (Roy Morgan Research)'''
|-
|style="background-color:#" align="center" |
!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: [http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2007/4128/ Roy Morgan Research] - 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%;"
|-
|+'''South Australian state voting intention (Newspoll Market Research)'''
|-
!style="background-color:#" align="center" |
!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: [http://www.newspoll.com.au/cgi-bin/polling/display_poll_data.pl?url_caller=&mode=trend&page=show_polls&question_set_id=14 Newspoll/The Australian]<br />
|}
<br style="clear:both">
==Results==
===House of Assembly===
{{seealso|Candidates of the South Australian legislative election, 2006}}
{| class="wikitable" style= "float:right;margin-left:1em;margin-top:0em;"
|-
| colspan="7" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" | <p align="center">
'''2006 [[South Australian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]] 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 %'''
| 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}}|
| [[Australian Labor Party]]
| align="right"| 424,715
| align="right"| 45.2
| align="right"| +8.9
| align="right"| 28
| align="right"| +5
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Liberal}}|
| [[Liberal Party of Australia]]
| align="right"| 319,041
| align="right"| 34.0
| align="right"| −6.0
| align="right"| 15
| align="right"| −5
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Greens}}|
| [[SA Greens]]
| align="right"| 60,949
| align="right"| 6.5
| align="right"| +4.1
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Family First}}|
| [[Family First Party]]
| align="right"| 55,192
| align="right"| 5.9
| align="right"| +3.3
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Democrats}}|
| [[Australian Democrats]]
| align="right"| 27,179
| align="right"| 2.9
| align="right"| −4.6
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Nationals}}|
| [[Nationals SA]]
| align="right"| 19,636
| align="right"| 2.1
| align="right"| +0.6
| align="right"| 1
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Dignity for Disabled]]
| align="right"| 3,974
| align="right"| 0.4
| align="right"| +0.4
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/One Nation}}|
| [[One Nation Party]]
| align="right"| 2,591
| align="right"| 0.3
| align="right"| −2.1
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[No Rodeo]]
| align="right"| 2,131
| align="right"| 0.2
| align="right"| +0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Independent (politician)|Independents]]
| align="right"| 23,753
| align="right"| 2.5
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| 3
| align="right"| +1
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[SA First]]
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| −1.8
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Peter Lewis (politician)|CLIC]]
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| −0.8
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| −1
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Total'''
| align="right"| 939,161
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| 47
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
|-
| colspan="7" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" | <p align="center">
'''[[Instant-runoff voting|Two-Party Preferred]]</p>
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Labor}}|
| [[Australian Labor Party]]
| align="right"| 533,290
| align="right"| 56.8
| align="right"| +7.7
| align="right"| 32
| align="right"| +8
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Liberal}}|
| [[Liberal Party of Australia]]
| align="right"| 405,871
| align="right"| 43.2
| align="right"| −7.7
| align="right"| 15
| align="right"| −8
|-
|}
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 [[South Australian House of Assembly electoral districts]] article.
Labor won six of eight key seats, the Liberals one of three key seats.<ref name="Key">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/keysbyparty.htm "Key Seats by Party and Margin"], ''ABC elections SA''. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Labor's wins included the previously marginal Liberal seats of [[Electoral district of Hartley|Hartley]], [[Electoral district of Light|Light]], [[Electoral district of Morialta|Morialta]], [[Electoral district of Mawson|Mawson]], [[Electoral district of Bright|Bright]] and [[Electoral district of Newland|Newland]]. The Liberals regained Peter Lewis' seat of [[Electoral district of Hammond|Hammond]].
National [[Karlene Maywald]] and Independents [[Bob Such]], [[Rory McEwen]] and [[Kris Hanna]] were all re-elected. Hanna was elected at the [[South Australian legislative election, 2002|2002 election]] as a Labor candidate; this counted as a loss for Labor, giving Labor a net gain of five seats.
Labor, the Liberals and the Greens ran in all 47 seats, the Democrats ran in all but [[Electoral district of Giles|Giles]] which resulted in a contested seat vote of three percent, Family First ran in all but [[Electoral district of Ramsay|Ramsay]] and [[Electoral district of Croydon|Croydon]] with a contested seat vote of 6.1 percent, with the Nationals running in [[Electoral district of Chaffey|Chaffey]], [[Electoral district of Flinders|Flinders]], [[Electoral district of Finniss|Finniss]], and [[Electoral district of MacKillop|MacKillop]], 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>[http://www.upperhouse.info/SA/SA2006.aspx South Australia 2006 Election Results], Upperhouse.info, Retrieved on [[14 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
[[Jack Snelling]] became speaker of the [[South Australian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]].
====Key Liberal seats====
The outer southern suburbs district of [[electoral district of Mawson|Mawson]] was first won by former Liberal Police Minister [[Robert Brokenshire]] in the [[South Australian legislative election, 1993|1993 state election]]. He was defeated by Labor candidate and former radio presenter [[Leon Bignell]] who received a 5.7 percent two party preferred swing.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/maws.htm South Australian Election 2006: Mawson Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The other outer suburbs district that fell to Labor was [[electoral district of Bright|Bright]], which was held since 1989 by former Liberal energy minister [[Wayne Matthew]]. Matthew decided to retire at this election; subsequently the seat was contested for the Liberals by Legislative Council member [[Angus Redford]]. Redford faced a tougher fight than expected<ref>[http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/bright.htm South Australian House of Assembly Election 2006: Bright], PollBludger.com. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> and was defeated by Labor candidate [[Chloe Fox]] who received a huge 14.4 percent swing on a two party preferred basis, the largest in the state.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/brig.htm South Australian Election 2006: Bright Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The inner southern suburbs district of [[electoral district of Unley|Unley]] was won in 2002 by outspoken Liberal [[Mark Brindal]] 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. [http://www.gay.com/news/election/article.html?2005/08/11/4 "Australian lawmaker quits over gay affair"], Gay.com Australia, [[11 August]], [[2005]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The Liberal candidate was businessman [[David Pisoni]], while the Labor candidate was Unley Mayor [[Michael Keenan (South Australian politician)|Michael Keenan]], who received a 7.9 percent two party preferred swing, narrowly missing out on picking up the seat by 1.1 percent.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/unle.htm South Australian Election 2006: Unley Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The inner north eastern suburbs district of [[electoral district of Hartley|Hartley]] had been won by [[Joe Scalzi]] in 1993 and held by a very narrow margin in each election since. The district has a very high proportion of [[Italian people|Italian migrants]] and the ability to speak [[Italian language|Italian]] is considered by many commentators as vital to win the seat<ref>Green, Antony.[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/hart.htm South Australian Election 2006: District of Hartley], ''ABC News online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> and was a factor in Labor's preselection of political staffer [[Grace Portolesi]]. Portolesi defeated Scalzi with a 5.9 percent two party preferred swing.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/hart.htm South Australian Election 2006: Hartley Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The neighbouring district of [[Electoral district of Morialta|Morialta]] was held before this election by former Liberal Tourism Minister [[Joan Hall]] since 1993. She was defeated by Labor candidate [[Lindsay Simmons]]. Simmons received a 12 percent two party preferred swing, with Labor winning the seat for the first time since 1975.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/mori.htm South Australian Election 2006: Morialta Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
In the outer north-east, the district of [[Electoral district of Newland|Newland]] had been won by Liberal [[Dorothy Kotz]] since 1989, but after her decision to retire, the Liberal Party preselected police officer and local councillor Mark Osterstock. He was defeated by Labor candidate [[Tom Kenyon]], who won the seat with a 12.5 percent two party preferred swing.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/newl.htm South Australian Election 2006: Newland Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
In [[Electoral district of Light|Light]], which contains [[Gawler, South Australia|Gawler]] and the outer northern suburbs, was recontested by sitting Liberal member and former Education Minister [[Malcolm Buckby]]. He was defeated by Labor candidate and Gawler Mayor [[Tony Piccolo]], who received a 4.9 percent two party preferred swing. This seat fell to Labor for the first time since 1944.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/ligh.htm South Australian Election 2006: Light Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The rural and outback district of [[electoral district of Stuart|Stuart]] was first won in 1997 by Liberal [[Graham Gunn]], a former Speaker and Australia's longest currently serving parliamentarian<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/news/stories/1598468.htm?elections/sa/2006/ "Stuart count goes down to the wire"], ''ABC elections SA'', [[22 March]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> (the longest being [[Billy Hughes]] at 51 years). As in 2002, he was challenged by Labor ministerial adviser Justin Jarvis. Unlike the Adelaide metropolitan area and the neighbouring seat of [[electoral district of Giles|Giles]], 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.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/stua.htm South Australian Election 2006: Stuart Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
====Key Labor seats====
The inner eastern suburbs district of [[Electoral district of Norwood|Norwood]], held for Labor by former Norwood mayor [[Vini Ciccarello]], was expected to be a tough contest, particularly after the Liberal preselection of former [[Adelaide Crows]] footballer [[Nigel Smart]].<ref name="Key"/> Ciccarello retained the seat picking up a 3.7 percent swing on the two party preferred vote.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/norw.htm South Australian Election 2006: Norwood Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The other Labor seat considered under possible threat was the neighbouring inner city district of [[Electoral district of Adelaide|Adelaide]] where high profile Education Minister and former Lord Mayor [[Jane Lomax-Smith]] was challenged by Liberal Diana Carroll.<ref name="Key"/> Lomax-Smith comprehensively defeated Carroll with a 9.2 percent swing to Labor on the two-party preferred vote.<ref> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/adel.htm South Australian Election 2006: Adelaide Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
====Key Independent seats====
The southern suburbs district of [[Electoral district of Mitchell (South Australia)|Mitchell]] was won at the [[South Australian legislative election, 2002|2002 election]] by [[Kris Hanna]], who was a Labor member. After the election, Hanna left Labor to join the [[Greens South Australia|Greens]] 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>[http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/mitchell.htm South Australian House of Assembly Election 2006: Mitchell], PollBludger.com. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
The district of [[Electoral district of Fisher|Fisher]], located in Adelaide's south, was held by independent MP Dr [[Bob Such]]. Late in the campaign, there was some speculation that Fisher may have been a closer contest than commentators initially expected,<ref name="fisher">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/fish.htm South Australian Election 2006: Fisher Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> but Such comfortably defeated both Labor candidate [[Amanda Rishworth]] and Liberal candidate [[Andy Minnis]] 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.<ref name="fisher"/>
The Riverland based district of [[Electoral district of Chaffey|Chaffey]] is the only seat in South Australia held by a [[Nationals SA]] member. [[River Murray]] Minister [[Karlene Maywald]] won comfortably against a challenge by Liberal Anna Baric. Maywald received a 3.2 percent swing on the two party preferred vote.<ref name="chaffey">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/chaf.htm South Australian Election 2006: Chaffey Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The [[Murray Bridge, South Australia|Murray Bridge]] based district of [[Electoral district of Hammond|Hammond]] was won in 2002 by independent MP Peter Lewis who cut a deal after the [[South Australian legislative election, 2002|2002 election]] 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>[http://www.pollbludger.com/sa2006/hammond.htm South Australia House of Assembly Election 2006: Hammond], PollBludger.com. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref><ref name="Results"/></p> Hammond was won comfortably by Liberal [[Adrian Pederick]].<ref name="hammond">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/hamm.htm South Australian Election 2006: Hammond Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
The district of [[electoral district of Mount Gambier|Mount Gambier]] (which also includes much of South Australia's south east) was a close contest between independent and Agriculture Minister [[Rory McEwen]] and Liberal Peter Gandolfi. McEwen prevailed despite a 20.4 percent swing against him on the two party preferred vote.<ref name="mtgamb">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/moun.htm South Australian Election 2006: Mount Gambier Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
====Post-election pendulum====
{{dablink|For previous pendulums and maps, see [[South Australian legislative elections|South Australian general elections]].}}
The following pendulum<ref>Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/newpendulumindex.htm South Australian Election 2006: Post-Election Pendulum], ''ABC News online''. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> is known as the [[Mackerras Pendulum]], invented by [[psephology|psephologist]] [[Malcolm Mackerras]]. The pendulum works by lining up all of the seats held in the [[South Australian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]] according to the [[percentage point]] margin they are held by on a two party preferred basis. This is also known as the [[Swing (Australian politics)|swing]] required for the seat to change hands. Given a uniform swing to the opposition 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>
{| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin-right: .5em; margin-top: .4em;font-size: 90%;"
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" |'''LABOR SEATS (32)'''
|-
| COLSPAN=4 align="center" bgcolor="red" |<font color="white">'''Marginal'''</font>
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|[[Electoral district of Mitchell (South Australia)|Mitchell]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|[[Kris Hanna]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|IND
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|0.6% v ALP
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|[[Electoral district of Light|Light]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|[[Tony Piccolo]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFDDDD"|2.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |[[Electoral district of Mawson|Mawson]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |[[Leon Bignell]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |2.2%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |[[Electoral district of Norwood|Norwood]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |[[Vini Ciccarello]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |4.2%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |[[Electoral district of Hartley|Hartley]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFDDDD" |[[Grace Portolesi]]
| 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="CCCCCC"|[[Electoral district of Mount Gambier|Mt Gambier]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|[[Rory McEwen]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|IND
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|6.2% v LIB
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC"|[[Electoral district of Newland|Newland]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |[[Tom Kenyon]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |6.8%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |[[Electoral district of Morialta|Morialta]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |[[Lindsay Simmons]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |7.9%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |[[Electoral district of Bright|Bright]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFCCCC" |[[Chloe Fox]]
| 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" |[[Electoral district of Adelaide|Adelaide]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Jane Lomax-Smith]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |10.2%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Florey|Florey]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Frances Bedford]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |12.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Giles|Giles]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Lyn Breuer]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |14.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Elder|Elder]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Patrick Conlon (politician)|Pat Conlon]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |14.9%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Wright|Wright]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Jennifer Rankine]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |15.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Ashford|Ashford]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Stephanie Key]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |16.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Colton|Colton]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Paul Caica]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |16.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|[[Electoral district of Fisher|Fisher]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|[[Bob Such]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|IND
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCCC"|16.7% v ALP
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Little Para|Little Para]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Lea Stevens]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |16.7%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="98fb98" |[[Electoral district of Chaffey|Chaffey]]
| align="left" bgcolor="98fb98" |[[Karlene Maywald]]
| align="left" bgcolor="98fb98" |NAT
| align="center" bgcolor="98fb98" |17.2% v LIB
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Reynell|Reynell]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Gay Thompson]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |17.6%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of West Torrens|West Torrens]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Tom Koutsantonis]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |18.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Torrens|Torrens]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Robyn Geraghty]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |19.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Electoral district of Lee|Lee]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFBBBB" |[[Michael Wright (Australian politician)|Michael Wright]]
| 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" |[[Electoral district of Kaurna|Kaurna]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[John Hill (Australian politician)|John Hill]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |22.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Napier|Napier]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Michael O'Brien (Australian politician)|Michael O'Brien]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |24.3%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Enfield|Enfield]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[John Rau]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |24.5%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Cheltenham|Cheltenham]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Jay Weatherill]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |25.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Port Adelaide|Port Adelaide]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Kevin Foley]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |25.7%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Playford|Playford]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Jack Snelling]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |25.8%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Croydon|Croydon]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Michael Atkinson]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |26.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Taylor|Taylor]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Trish White]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |ALP
| align="center" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |27.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Electoral district of Ramsay|Ramsay]]
| align="left" bgcolor="FFAAAA" |[[Mike Rann]]
| 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" |[[Electoral district of Stuart|Stuart]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Graham Gunn]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |0.6%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Electoral district of Unley|Unley]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[David Pisoni]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |1.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Electoral district of Heysen|Heysen]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Isobel Redmond]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |3.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Electoral district of Frome|Frome]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Rob Kerin]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |3.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Electoral district of Waite|Waite]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Martin Hamilton-Smith]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |4.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Electoral district of Morphett|Morphett]]
| align="left" bgcolor="DDDDFF" |[[Duncan McFetridge]]
| 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" |[[Electoral district of Schubert|Schubert]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Ivan Venning]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |6.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Electoral district of Davenport|Davenport]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Iain Evans]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |6.4%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Electoral district of Finniss|Finniss]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Michael Pengilly]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |6.5%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Electoral district of Goyder|Goyder]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Steven Griffiths]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |9.1%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Electoral district of Kavel|Kavel]]
| align="left" bgcolor="CCCCFF" |[[Mark Goldsworthy]]
| 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" |[[Electoral district of Flinders|Flinders]]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |[[Liz Penfold]]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |10.1% v NAT
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |[[Electoral district of Hammond|Hammond]]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |[[Adrian Pederick]]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |12.0%
|-
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |[[Electoral district of Bragg|Bragg]]
| align="left" bgcolor="BBBBFF" |[[Vickie Chapman]]
| 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" |[[Electoral district of MacKillop|MacKillop]]
| align="left" bgcolor="AAAAFF" |[[Mitch Williams (Australian politician)|Mitch Williams]]
| align="left" bgcolor="AAAAFF" |LIB
| align="center" bgcolor="AAAAFF" |22.2%
|}
[[Image:Sametro06.png|thumb|right|225px|'''Metro SA (1.1 mil):''' Click [http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/district_maps/metro-map-large.gif here] for boundary names.]]
[[Image:Sastate06.png|thumb|right|225px|'''Rural SA (0.4 mil):''' Click [http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/district_maps/state-map-large.gif here] for boundary names.]]
[[Image:Map82007.gif|thumb|right|350px|[[Australian federal election, 2007|2007 federal election]] map containing South Australia's 11 of the 150 Australian [[Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives|lower house]] seats; six Labor and five Liberal. [[Division of Kingston|Kingston]], [[Division of Makin|Makin]], and [[Division of Wakefield|Wakefield]] were Liberal prior to the election. As of July 2008, South Australia will have five Labor, five Liberal, one Green, and independent [[Nick Xenophon]] in the 76 member [[Australian Senate|upper house]]. Prior to the election, South Australia had six Liberal, five Labor, and one Democrat.]]
<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 [[South Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] 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 %'''
| 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 ([[Droop Quota|qta]])'''
| align="right" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Seats Held'''
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Labor}}|
| [[Australian Labor Party]]
| align="right"| 340,632
| align="right"| 36.6
| align="right"| +3.7
| align="right"| 4 (4.39)
| align="right"| 8
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Liberal}}|
| [[Liberal Party of Australia]]
| align="right"| 241,740
| align="right"| 26.0
| align="right"| −14.1
| align="right"| 3 (3.12)
| align="right"| 8
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[No Pokies]]
| align="right"| 190,958
| align="right"| 20.5
| align="right"| +19.2
| align="right"| 2 (2.46)
| align="right"| 2
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Family First}}|
| [[Family First Party]]
| align="right"| 46,328
| align="right"| 5.0
| align="right"| +1.0
| align="right"| 1 (0.60)
| align="right"| 2
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Greens}}|
| [[SA Greens]]
| align="right"| 39,852
| align="right"| 4.3
| align="right"| +1.5
| align="right"| 1 (0.51)
| align="right"| 1
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Democrats}}|
| [[Australian Democrats]]
| align="right"| 16,412
| align="right"| 1.8
| align="right"| −5.5
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 1
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/One Nation}}|
| [[One Nation Party]]
| align="right"| 7,559
| align="right"| 0.8
| align="right"| −1.0
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[HEMP Legalise Marijuana]]
| align="right"| 6,617
| align="right"| 0.7
| align="right"| −0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Nationals}}|
| [[Nationals SA]]
| align="right"| 6,237
| align="right"| 0.7
| align="right"| +0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Shooters Party]]
| align="right"| 5,991
| align="right"| 0.6
| align="right"| +0.6
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Dignity for Disabled]]
| align="right"| 5,615
| align="right"| 0.6
| align="right"| +0.6
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Peter Lewis (politician)|Peter Lewis]]
| align="right"| 5,370
| align="right"| 0.6
| align="right"| +0.6
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| 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}}|
| No [[Factory farming|Battery Hens]]
| align="right"| 2,334
| align="right"| 0.3
| align="right"| +0.3
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Recreational fishing#Recreational fishing|Recreational Fishers]]
| align="right"| 2,118
| align="right"| 0.2
| align="right"| +0.2
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| 0
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| 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}}|
| 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}}|
| Other
| align="right"| 6,665
| align="right"| 0.6
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Euthanasia|Voluntary Euthanasia]]
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| −1.2
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[SA First]]
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| −1.0
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
|-
|{{Australian politics/party colours/Independent}}|
| [[Grey Power]]
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| −0.9
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | '''Total'''
| align="right"| 930,869
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| bgcolor="#D8D8D8" | <!-- Leave blank -->
| align="right"| 11
| align="right"| 22
|-
|}
In the [[South Australian Legislative Council]], Labor won 4 seats, the Liberals won 3 seats, both [[No Pokies]] member [[Nick Xenophon]] and his running mate [[Ann Bressington]] were elected and [[Family First]] and the [[Greens South Australia|Greens]] won a seat each. Almost 40 percent of voters deserted the major parties for [[Nick Xenophon]] and the minor parties; this percentage had been steadily increasing over time.<ref>[http://arts.anu.edu.au/democraticaudit/papers/20060411_and_mann_elec_sa.pdf Democratic Audit of Australia: Implications for democracy in the Festival State (PDF),] Australian National University, April, 2006, page 3 graph. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref><ref name="lc"> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/results/lcdistribution.htm South Australian Election 2006: Legislative Council: 2006], ''ABC News Online'', Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
Labor received a 3.7 percent swing, electing four councillors as in the previous election. [[Carmel Zollo]], [[Bob Sneath]], [[Russell Wortley]] and [[Ian Hunter (politician)|Ian Hunter]] were all elected, with 4.39 quotas<ref name="lc"/> [[Bob Sneath]] was elected president of the [[South Australian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]].
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. [[Rob Lucas]], [[John Dawkins (South Australian politician)|John Dawkins]] and [[Michelle Lensink]] were elected on 3.12 quotas.<ref name="lc"/>
Before the election, [[No Pokies]] member [[Nick Xenophon]] was popular with the media and in opinion polls,<ref>[http://upperhouse.info/Extras/Pictures.aspx Political Picture Gallery], Upperhouse.info, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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>[http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/election2006/candidates/voting-tickets.php 2006 Legislative Council Candidates — Voting Tickets], State Electoral Office, South Australia, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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 [[Ann Bressington]].<ref name="lc"/> Having been elected at the [[South Australian legislative election, 1997|1997 election]] 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),<ref name="lc"> Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/lc2002.htm South Australian Election 2006: Detailed Legislative Council Result 2002], ''ABC News Online'', Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref> the No Pokies ticket received a swing of 19.2 percent.<ref name="Results"/>
The [[Family First Party]]'s first member, [[Andrew Evans]] 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 [[Dennis Hood]] being elected on preferences.<ref name="lc"/>
The [[SA Greens]] won 4.3 percent of the upper house vote meaning a swing of 1.5 percent, narrowly securing [[Mark Parnell]] for the last upper house seat on preferences.<ref name="lc"/> This is the first time The Greens have won a seat in South Australia. Having secured second spot on the ticket at this election, [[Sarah Hanson-Young]] was successful in gaining the first spot on the ticket at the [[Australian federal election, 2007|2007 federal election]], which saw the Greens secure their first federal upper house seat in South Australia.
The [[Australian Democrats]] fell to just one seat in the Legislative Council held by [[Sandra Kanck]], after [[Kate Reynolds]] 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.<Ref name="lc"/> 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>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1635728.htm "Last sitting SA Democrat to quit"], ''ABC News Online'', [[11 May]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
Pauline Hanson's [[One Nation Party]] 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 [[electoral district of Hammond|Hammond]],<ref name="hammond"/> followed by 2.7 percent in [[electoral district of Goyder|Goyder]],<ref name="goyder">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/goyd.htm South Australian Election 2006: Goyder Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref> and the other four hovering around 1 percent.
[[Dignity for Disabled]] ran for the first time and won 0.6 percent of the upper house vote;<ref name="lc"/> they won none of the 10 lower house seats they contested. Their best results were [[Electoral district of Wright|Wright]] as well as [[Electoral district of Bright|Bright]], with 2.4 percent in each (506 and 492 votes respectively).<ref name="wright">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/wrig.htm South Australian Election 2006: Wright Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref><ref name="bright">Green, Antony. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/brig.htm South Australian Election 2006: Bright Electorate Profile], ''ABC News Online'', [[20 April]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[15 April]], [[2008]].</ref>
Labor-turned-independent [[Terry Cameron]] and Liberal-turned-independent [[Peter Lewis (politician)|Peter Lewis]] both failed in their bids for re-election.<ref name="lc"/>
==Legacy==
After the election, Rob Kerin vacated the position of opposition leader. The party selected conservative [[Iain Evans]] (son of former politician [[Stan Evans]]) for the role, with moderate [[Vickie Chapman]] (daughter of former politician [[Ted Chapman (politician)|Ted Chapman]]) as deputy leader. The only other contestant had been [[Isobel Redmond]], who ran because she was concerned by some speculation that the Evans deal may have been stitched up by federal Liberal counterparts [[Christopher Pyne]] and [[Nick Minchin]].<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>[http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2006/4049/ In South Australia: 71% Say Rann Better Premier,] Roy Morgan Research, [[8 July]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> Continuing low support for the new Liberal leadership saw [[Martin Hamilton-Smith]] replace Evans in April 2007, however this move saw Liberal support decline further to a three-year low according to an Advertiser poll conducted a month after the leadership change. Over half of polling respondents were unable to name the leader of the Liberal Party.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21656350-910,00.html Libs' worst poll in three years] AdelaideNow News.com.au [[2 May]], [[2007]]. Retrieved on [[19 May]], [[2007]].</ref> This contradicted [[Newspoll]]s quarterly polling<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,22048398-1702,00.html Support for Labor, Rann slips] The Australian [[10 July]], [[2007]]. Retrieved on [[10 July]], [[2007]].</ref> indicating the Rann Labor government slipping to a two-party preferred figure of 57 percent down four percent, with a preferred premier rating of 52 percent down 14 percent for Rann and a first-time rating of 21 percent for [[Martin Hamilton-Smith]]. Poll results also show Rann's satisfaction rating was below 60 percent for the first time since coming to office at 58 percent, with Hamilton-Smith receiving a 33 percent satisfaction rate.
Previously unknown quantity [[Ann Bressington]], elected on the back of [[Nick Xenophon]]'s [[No Pokies]] popularity, has proposed mainly conservative policies such as raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21,<ref>Allison, Lisa. "Raise drink age to 21", ''The Advertiser'', [[31 August]], [[2006]], p.24.</ref> zero tolerance of illicit drugs, mandatory twice-annual drug tests of every South Australian school student over the age of 14 regardless of whether parents give their consent,<ref>Klening, Xanthe. "MP's move to drug test all teens", ''The Advertiser'', [[17 August]], [[2006]], p.5. </ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2006/s1719796.htm "Should all school students be drug tested?"] ''[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] Stateline'', [[18 August]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> and making the sale of "drug-taking equipment" illegal.<ref>"Ban the bong, say MP's", ''The Advertiser'', [[6 June]], [[2006]].</ref><ref>Allison, Lisa. "Cocaine kits on sale in city shop window", ''The Advertiser'', [[11 August]], [[2006]], p.7.</ref> However, she remains undecided on voluntary euthanasia, calling it "a personal struggle".<ref>[http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/hansard_data/2006/LC/WH310806.lc.htm Hansard 31/08/2006], ''Parliament of South Australia'', [[31 August]] [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
Setting a precedent, [[Sandra Kanck]]'s pro-[[euthanasia]] speech which contained suicide methods was censored from the internet version of [[Hansard]] in August 2006 as a result of an upper house motion, with [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]], [[Family First Party|Family First]], [[Nick Xenophon]] and [[Ann Bressington]] voting for, and the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberals]] and [[SA Greens]] member [[Mark Parnell]] voting against.<ref>Owen, Michael. "MPs turn up heat on Kanck 'damage'", ''The Advertiser'', [[2 September]], [[2006]], p.10.</ref> Despite this, the speech was published on a non-Australian website.<ref>[http://www.peacefulpillhandbook.com/VEsuicidespeech.pdf Speech to SA Legislative Council by Sandra Kanck MLC. 30th Aug 2006-08-31 (PDF),] Exit International US, Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref>
The state's budget was released on [[21 September]] [[2006]].<ref>[http://www.treasury.sa.gov.au/dtf/budget/publications_and_downloads/previous_budgets/state_budget_2006_07.jsp State Budget 2006–2007,] Government of South Australia, Department of Treasury and Finance, Media Releases [[10 November]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</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 South Australia|Technical and Further Education]] (TAFE) charges. There were increases in funding for health, schools, police and prisons, and the Department of Public Prosecutions.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Public-service-jobs-axed-in-SA-budget/2006/09/21/1158431835425.html "Public service jobs axed in SA budget",] ''Sydney Morning Herald'', [[21 September]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]]. </ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1745090.htm "SA to announce Budget funding boost for DPP",] ''ABC News Online'', [[20 September]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>Foley, Kevin. [http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/news.php?id=636 BUDGET: $411m new prisons – safer communities,] Government of South Australia, [[21 September]], [[2006]]. Retrieved on [[4 January]], [[2007]].</ref> The 2007–2008 budget released on [[13 June]] [[2007]] saw additional spending on Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, Health, Families and Communities, and Justice portfolios such as transport initiatives including revitalisation of the rail network, commencement of the $1.7 billion Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Hospital to replace the [[Royal Adelaide Hospital]], funding for mental health reform including the delivery of health services, and funding for new commitments to law and order policies.<ref>[http://www.treasury.sa.gov.au/dtf/budget/publications_and_downloads/current_budget.jsp State Budget 2007–2008,] Government of South Australia, Department of Treasury and Finance. Retrieved on [[2 July]], [[2007]].</ref>
[[No Pokies]] MP [[Nick Xenophon]] resigned from parliament in early October 2007 in a auccessful attempt to win a seat in the [[Australian Senate]] at the [[Australian general election, 2007|2007 federal election]], which according to the [[Australian federal election, 2007/State-by-state upper house results#South_Australia|South Australian result]], he retained 72 percent of his 2006 vote, on 14.78 percent. His replacement is his third candidate on the 2006 ticket, former Valuer-General [[John Darley (Australian politician)|John Darley]], and was appointed by a joint sitting on [[21 November]] [[2007]], where second candidate and upper house MP [[Ann Bressington]] also took the opportunity to slam [[Nick Xenophon]], accusing him of lacking integrity and suitability for federal parliament.<ref>Henderson, Nick. [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22796625-5006301,00.html Nick Xenophon's running mate unleashes extraordinary attack]. ''The Advertiser''. [[November 2]], [[2007]]. Retrieved on [[December 13]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/21/2096834.htm?section=justin MPs stunned by Xenophon blast.] ''ABC News'' [[November 21]], [[2007]]. Retrieved on [[December 13]], [[2007]].</ref> Xenophon successfully gained election.
A record-breaking 13-hour [[Parnell-Bressington filibuster]] occurred in [[May 2008]] in crossbench opposition to WorkCover cuts being passed by the major parties due to the increasing underfunded liability in the [[workers' compensation]] scheme.
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/archive/2002/pdfs/election_results_outcomes.pdf Official 2002 election results]
*[http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/election2006/pdf/Results_and_Outcomes_Booklet3.pdf Official 2006 election results]
*[http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/ Parliament of South Australia]
*[http://www.seo.sa.gov.au/archive/2006/index.htm State Electoral Office - 2006 election]
*[http://abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/ ABC election guide - South Australia 2006 election]
*[http://elections.uwa.edu.au/ State and federal election results since 1890]
*[http://www.pollbludger.com/ Poll Bludger federal and state election guides]
*[http://www.upperhouse.info/ Upperhouse.info federal and state election guides]
{{featured article}}
{{Politics of South Australia}}
{{Politics of Australia}}
[[Category:2006 elections in Australia]]
[[Category:Elections in South Australia]]