Liberals Gain Seats in SA Election, Labor's Email Blunder

0:00From Adelaide, this is your March 10th update. Veteran political analyst Mike Smithson has updated his predictions for the South Australian state election. Now, just two weeks away, he now tips the Liberals to hold 11 seats in the 47-seat House of Assembly, up from his earlier call of eight. That's still a tough result for them, down from their current 13 seats, while labor is set to expand from 29 to 32. Here this week, labor took a hit from a botched email campaign aimed at discrediting a grieving widow who spoke out about ambulance ramping delays. At the Royal Adelaide Hospital, her terminally ill husband waited over an hour outside before passing away. The party shared a positive 2023 email they thought was from him, but it came from another man with the same name, sparking backlash. Over the tactic, polls had been brutal for the Liberals, with some forecasting they dropped to just three seats, which led to leader Vincent Tarzius stepping down. Ashton Hurn has taken over as liberal leader, bringing a fresh image of maturity and

1:02trustworthiness that's starting to resonate with voters amid the party's instability. Smithson's tweaks factor in in-compancy advantages, a huge field of nearly 400 lower-house candidates, causing voter confusion and specific seat shifts. He sees labor gaining more yalta, only, and Colton, easily due to liberal retirements, while liberals reclaim Mount Gambier, but lose finish to an end. Independent. Independence holds steady at four seats overall. Meanwhile, Hurn's relentless campaigning is credited for the liberal's slight uptick, proving former Prime Minister John Howard's adage, that nothing, is ever as good or as bad as it seems. It's one nation influencing preferences, but not winning seats. Election night promises plenty of surprises, until the votes are tallied. This episode is brought to you in partnership with our sponsor. Your pillow, your podcast, your moment, made for listening in bed, S-O-L-I.