Malinauskas on the cusp of victory as One Nation hit by scandal
Updated ,first published
Peter Malinauskas claimed a commanding victory in a second term, using a landslide result to call for more generous and inclusive policy despite the rise of One Nation in South Australia, which has deeply polled major party votes.
With counting well advanced on Saturday night, Labor was on track to win at least 32 of the 47 seats in parliament, cementing the prime minister’s authority despite a modest primary swing vote against the government. While the Liberals’ seat count fell to a handful of seats, One Nation’s vote grew in regional and working-class areas, securing Hammond’s seat and strengthening its presence in the upper house.
Malinauskas reached beyond his base by invoking the bush ethos of Henry Lawson’s poetry in a victory speech that was as much about style as victory. Australians’ Duty to frame the call for unity.
“When we all come together, we can accomplish anything,” he said. “Diversity has always been our greatest strength when we work together.
“If we focus on what unites us – the shared love of living in a peaceful, prosperous place, in a country full of hard-working people who value care and compassion – then we can seize this moment with newfound confidence.”
The result highlights a changing political landscape but reveals one of Labor’s strongest mandates in the state’s history. Labour’s primary vote stands at around 38 per cent, with One Nation losing around 21 per cent and the Liberals close to 19 per cent; a dramatic 16 percent decline from four years ago.
Careful to soften the scale of the victory, Malinauskas warned his colleagues not to be complacent.
“While this is a historic result, the best our party has ever achieved, it is very important that no one confuses tonight’s result with praise,” he said. “Instead, we should simply see this as an invitation to continue building our courage over the next four years.”
The Prime Minister signaled his willingness to work in an increasingly fractured parliament, confirming he had received concession calls from Liberal leader Ashton Hurn and One Nation’s Cory Bernardi.
“I say to both Ashton and Cory, and the leaders of the other political parties elected tonight, that my government is prepared to work with each of you as long as it is in the interests of South Australians,” he said.
The extent of the Liberals’ defeat became immediately apparent. Hurn conceded before 9.30pm, describing the outcome as a “tough night” and acknowledging the need for reflection. The party’s vote collapsed in suburban Adelaide and key regional centres; He was squeezed by Labor on one side and One Nation on the other.
The party’s primary vote was in single digits in many seats, including Kaurna, Reynell, Cheltenham, Ramsay, Florey, Elizabeth, Port Adelaide, Playford, Black, Giles and Hurtle Vale.
Among those who lost Hartley was former leader Vincent Tarzia.
“There’s no question things are tough,” Hurn said. “And lessons must be learned.”
“Voters can never misunderstand. It is up to us to heed their advice. Now is the time to come together as a party.”
At the federal level, the rise of One Nation, led by Pauline Hanson, has translated strong polls into electoral gains by at least one lower house seat. Bernardi, the party’s state leader, reserved himself a seat in the upper house and declared that an “earthquake” had shaken the major parties.
Hanson said he felt “vindicated” by pointing out that the outcome was part of a broader national shift. “I think the rest of Australia will be watching what happens here tonight,” he said, linking the results to upcoming contests including the Farrer by-election and the Victoria poll in November.
He later described an “undercurrent” of voters moving away from the mainstream, adding that this increase was “just the beginning.”
“This isn’t just a protest vote… you have no idea what’s going on in this country, there’s a movement and there’s an undercurrent and people are telling us they’re yelling a lot, we want our country back,” he said.
The election result strengthens Labour’s dominance – the party has now won five of the last six state elections – but also highlights the volatility below the surface. More than a third of the votes were cast early, leaving some seats in doubt for days as complex preference flows were counted.
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Rob Harris is a national correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Canberra. He is a former European correspondent.Connect via email.
