State elections: the outcome
Antony Green, William Bowe and Upper House all provided live coverage of the election counts.
In Tasmania, Lennon has stormed home to (in all likelihood) retain Labor’s 14 seats, containing the swing against Labor to -2.3 per cent. The Liberals look like gaining one seat to have 8 seats. The Greens look like losing one seat (and party status), leaving them with 3 seats. (There is an outside possibility that the score might be as high as 15-7-3 for Labor).
In South Australia, the nation’s most popular Premier has also had a thumping victory. With a 9.2 per cent swing to Labor, Rann has a guaranteed 28 seats and looks like picking up 30 seats.
In one of those odd couple moments, the Tiser reported:
The state’s sole Nationals MP Karlene Maywald cemented her hold on Chaffey, polling some 70 per cent of the vote, and also will be a member of the new ministry. While independent Bob Such easily held his seat of Fisher, his role of Speaker is now under threat with eager Labor backbenchers expected to jockey for the spoils of victory.
In the South Australian upper house, the ‘no pokies’ independent Nick Xenophon has got himself and Ann Marie Bressington elected. Family First and the Greens are sitting on 0.6 and 0.5 of a quota respectively, and both have a good chance of getting one upper house seat on preferences. The Australian Democrats, on 0.2 of a quota is likely to drop out. Labor should get four seats and the Liberals 3. Labor will not gain control of the upper house.