South Australian legislative election, 1997
Encyclopedia
State elections were held in South Australia
on 11 October 1997. All 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly
were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia
led by Premier
of South Australia John Olsen
defeated the Australian Labor Party
led by Leader of the Opposition
Mike Rann
, forming a minority government
with the SA Nationals
and independent MPs.
Independents: Rory McEwen
, Mitch Williams
, the Labor Party
led by Mike Rann
held just 11 seats in the House of Assembly
. The Liberals held 36 seats and there were no independent or minor party members in the House of Assembly. (They had held a record 37, but lost one in a by-election in 1994). However the Liberals were suffering from heightened internal tensions, and John Olsen
had successfully challenged Dean Brown
for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1996 and had been Premier of South Australia for around 12 months on election day. The margin of 25 seats was seen as insurmountable for the Labor Party despite the Liberal leadership change.
To the surprise of most observers, the Labor Party polled exceptionally well, gaining 10 seats and coming within a couple of seats of winning, forcing the Liberals to minority government
. The Liberals lost a massive 14 seats; 11 to Labor (including one at a 1994 by-election), one to the Nationals, and two to conservative independents.
The election was also notable for the Democrats' highest South Australian state election vote, falling short by two percent to one of the party's predecessors, the Liberal Movement, who contested the 1975 state election
.
Legislative Council
In the Legislative Council
, the Australian Democrats
won two seats for the first time. Elected were 4 Liberal, 4 Labor, 2 Australian Democrats, and No Pokies candidate Nick Xenophon
. Carrying over from the 1993 election were 6 Liberal, 4 Labor, 1 Democrat; leaving the numbers at: 10 Liberal, 8 Labor, 3 Democrats, 1 No Pokies.
Both on 1.72%, the HEMP Legalise Marijuana
party received 15432 votes and the SA Greens received 15377 votes.
was left with internal disquiet over the leadership challenge and poor election result while his opponent, Mike Rann
was seen to have 'won' the campaign despite losing the election.
On February 6, 2007, Mike Rann told parliament that some in the Liberal party had leaked information to him before and during the election campaign. The following quote by Rann is from Hansard on 6/2/2007 http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/hansard_data/2007/HA/WH060207.HA.htm:
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
on 11 October 1997. All 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
led by Premier
Premiers of South Australia
Before the 1890s when there was no formal party system in South Australia, MPs tended to have historical liberal or conservative beliefs. The liberals dominated government from 1893 to 1905 with Labor support, with the conservatives mostly in opposition. Labor took government with the support of...
of South Australia John Olsen
John Olsen
John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...
defeated the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
led by Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (South Australia)
The Leader of the Opposition in South Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties, known as the Opposition, in the House of Assembly of the Parliament of South Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the House of Assembly...
Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
, forming a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
with the SA Nationals
The Nationals South Australia
The Nationals SA are a sub-division of the National Party of Australia. First contesting the 1965 state election, the party has only held two seats at alternating periods; Peter Blacker in Flinders and Karlene Maywald in Chaffey....
and independent MPs.
| Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | |
| Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
359,509 | 40.40 | -12.41 | 23 | -14 | |
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
312,929 | 35.16 | +4.79 | 21 | +11 | |
| Australian Democrats Australian Democrats The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader... |
146,347 | 16.45 | +7.35 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nationals SA | 15,488 | 1.74 | +0.63 | 1 | +1 | |
| Independent Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
6,970 | 0.78 | * | 1 | +1 | |
| Independents Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
27,870 | 3.13 | +0.01 | 1 | +1 | |
| Other | 20,801 | 2.34 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 889,914 | 47 | ||||
| Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
WIN | 51.50 | -9.50 | 26 | -11 | |
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
48.50 | +9.50 | 21 | +11 |
Independents: Rory McEwen
Rory McEwen
Rory McEwen , Australian politician, was the independent member for the seats of Gordon and Mount Gambier in the South Australian House of Assembly....
, Mitch Williams
Mitch Williams (Australian politician)
Michael Richard "Mitch" Williams is a South Australian Liberal politician and farmer. He is currently the deputy opposition leader in the South Australian parliament. He resigned from the Liberal Party and was elected to the safe Liberal seat of MacKillop in the state's south east at the 1997...
Background
Following the 1993 landslide to the Liberal PartyLiberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, the Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
led by Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
held just 11 seats in the House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
. The Liberals held 36 seats and there were no independent or minor party members in the House of Assembly. (They had held a record 37, but lost one in a by-election in 1994). However the Liberals were suffering from heightened internal tensions, and John Olsen
John Olsen
John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...
had successfully challenged Dean Brown
Dean Brown
Dean Craig Brown, AO was the Liberal Premier of South Australia between 14 December 1993 and 28 November 1996, and Deputy Premier of South Australia between 22 October 2001 and 5 March 2002 to Rob Kerin.-Political career:...
for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1996 and had been Premier of South Australia for around 12 months on election day. The margin of 25 seats was seen as insurmountable for the Labor Party despite the Liberal leadership change.
To the surprise of most observers, the Labor Party polled exceptionally well, gaining 10 seats and coming within a couple of seats of winning, forcing the Liberals to minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
. The Liberals lost a massive 14 seats; 11 to Labor (including one at a 1994 by-election), one to the Nationals, and two to conservative independents.
The election was also notable for the Democrats' highest South Australian state election vote, falling short by two percent to one of the party's predecessors, the Liberal Movement, who contested the 1975 state election
South Australian state election, 1975
State elections were held in Australia on 12 July 1975. All 47 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Premier of South Australia Don Dunstan defeated the Liberal Party of Australia led by Leader of the Opposition Bruce...
.
Post-election Pendulum
| LABOR SEATS (21) | |||
| Marginal | |||
| Norwood Electoral district of Norwood Norwood is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after its surrounding geographical area, Norwood, South Australia. Norwood is a 14.2 km² urban electorate in Adelaide's inner eastern suburbs... |
Vini Ciccarello Vini Ciccarello Vincenzina "Vini" Ciccarello , Australian politician, is a former Labor Party MP for the electoral district of Norwood. A mayor of Norwood for seven years, she was a well known identity in the eastern suburbs electorate.... |
ALP | 0.8% |
| Mitchell Electoral district of Mitchell (South Australia) Mitchell is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the state of South Australia. It was first created in 1969 and is named after philosopher Sir William Mitchell... |
Kris Hanna Kris Hanna Kris Hanna was an Australian politician, and member for Mitchell in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1997 until 2010. Originally elected as a Labor member, Hanna defected to the SA Greens in 2003 before becoming an independent in 2006.... |
ALP | 0.9% |
| Florey Electoral district of Florey Florey is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after scientist Howard Florey, who was responsible for the development of penicillin... |
Frances Bedford Frances Bedford Frances Ellen Bedford , Australian politician, is a member of the South Australian House of Assembly. She represents the electoral district of Florey and is a member of the Australian Labor Party.... |
ALP | 1.3% |
| Elder Electoral district of Elder Elder is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after nineteenth-century businessman and philanthropist Thomas Elder... |
Pat Conlon Patrick Conlon (politician) Patrick Frederick "Pat" Conlon is a South Australian politician. Since 1997 he has represented the Electoral district of Elder in the South Australian House of Assembly as a member of the Australian Labor Party. He is Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, and Minister for Energy,... |
ALP | 2.6% |
| Wright Electoral district of Wright Wright is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after the 19th century South Australian architect Edmund Wright, it is a 21.2 km² urban electorate in Adelaide's outer north-eastern suburbs, taking in the suburb of Salisbury East and... |
Jennifer Rankine Jennifer Rankine Jennifer Mary Rankine is the sitting Labor member for the electoral district of Wright, first won in 1997. She is also the current Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for the Northern Suburbs, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, and Minister for Disability.The 2006 election saw... |
ALP | 3.1% |
| Reynell Electoral district of Reynell Reynell is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after John Reynell, a leading force in the founding of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia and noted 19th century grape farmer and vineyard owner in the area... |
Gay Thompson Gay Thompson Mary Gabrielle Thompson has been the Labor member for the South Australian House of Assembly electoral district of Reynell since 1997.... |
ALP | 3.7% |
| Hanson Electoral district of Hanson Hanson was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1970 to 1997. The district was based in the western suburbs of Adelaide.... |
Stephanie Key Stephanie Key Stephanie Wendy Key served as South Australia's Minister for Social Justice, Minister for Employment, Training & Further Education, Minister for Youth, and Minister for the Status of Women in the first Rann Labor government... |
ALP | 5.6% |
| Kaurna Electoral district of Kaurna Kaurna is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after the Kaurna aboriginal tribe which originally inhabited the Adelaide plains, it is a 67.2 km² semi-urban electorate on Adelaide's far-southern beaches, taking in the suburbs of... |
John Hill John Hill (Australian politician) John David Hill , Australian politician, is the current South Australian Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts in the Rann Government... |
ALP | 5.8% |
| Fairly safe | |||
| Peake Electoral district of Peake Peake was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1970 to 2002. The district was based in the western suburbs of Adelaide.... |
Tom Koutsantonis Tom Koutsantonis Anastasios "Tom" Koutsantonis is a South Australian politician and a member of the Australian Labor Party, representing the seat of West Torrens in the South Australian House of Assembly... |
ALP | 7.0% |
| Lee Electoral district of Lee Lee is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after the women's suffrage campaigner Mary Lee, it is a 17.6 km² urban electorate on Adelaide's north-western beaches, taking in the suburbs of Birkenhead, Ethelton, Exeter, Glanville,... |
Michael Wright Michael Wright (Australian politician) Michael John Wright is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Lee since 1997.... |
ALP | 7.1% |
| Napier Electoral district of Napier Napier is an electorate created in 1976 for the South Australian Legislative Assembly in the northern suburbs of the Adelaide metropolitan area of South Australia.... |
Annette Hurley Annette Hurley Annette Kay Hurley is an Australian politician. Elected at the 2004 federal election, she has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2005, representing the state of South Australia... |
ALP | 9.5% v AD |
| Safe | |||
| Torrens Electoral district of Torrens Torrens is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Located along the River Torrens, and named after Robert Richard Torrens, a 19th century Premier of South Australia, and also the founder of the "Torrens title" land registration system. Torrens is... |
Robyn Geraghty Robyn Geraghty Robyn Kathryn Geraghty has been the sitting Labor member for the electoral district of Torrens in South Australia since 1994.Geraghty has been heavily involved in community issues, as well as introducing various acts in to parliament... |
ALP | 10.1% |
| Giles Electoral district of Giles Giles is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. The electorate, named after explorer Ernest Giles, is the largest in South Australia, covering a 500,738.0km² swathe of outback South Australia... |
Lyn Breuer Lyn Breuer Lynette Ruth "Lyn" Breuer , Australian politician, represents the electoral district of Giles in the South Australian House of Assembly for the Australian Labor Party... |
ALP | 11.4% |
| Playford Electoral district of Playford Playford is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after the long serving South Australian premier Tom Playford, it is a 21.4 km² urban electorate in Adelaide's northern suburbs, taking in the suburb of Ingle Farm, Para Hills West,... |
Jack Snelling Jack Snelling John James "Jack" Snelling is an Australian politician who has been the sitting Labor member for the electoral district of Playford in the South Australian House of Assembly since the 1997 election.... |
ALP | 12.9% |
| Elizabeth Electoral district of Elizabeth (South Australia) Elizabeth was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1970 to 2006. The district was based in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, named for the suburb of Elizabeth.... |
Lea Stevens Lea Stevens Lea Stevens is an Australian politician and was the sitting Labor party member for the electoral district of Little Para from the 1994 Elizabeth by-election to the 2010 state election.... |
ALP | 14.3% |
| Ross Smith Electoral district of Ross Smith The electoral district of Ross Smith was an electorate for the South Australian Legislative Assembly. It was replaced by the electoral district of Enfield for the 2002 election. Sir Ross Macpherson Smith was a member of the Australian Light Horse at Gallipoli and Sinai during World War I. He then... |
Ralph Clarke | ALP | 14.8% |
| Ramsay Electoral district of Ramsay Ramsay is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Alexander Ramsay , who was General Manager of the South Australian Housing Trust for 25 years and devoted to the improvement of South Australian life... |
Mike Rann Mike Rann Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election... |
ALP | 18.2% |
| Very safe | |||
| Taylor Electoral district of Taylor Taylor is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. This district is named after Doris Irene Taylor MBE, a leading force in the founding of Meals on Wheels, and Australian Labor Party activist. Taylor is a 549.8 km² semi-urban electorate in... |
Trish White Trish White Patricia Lynne "Trish" White is a company director and former Australian politician, representing Taylor in the South Australian House of Assembly for the Australian Labor Party... |
ALP | 22.2% |
| Hart Electoral district of Hart Hart was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1992 to 2002. The district was based in the north-western suburbs of Adelaide.... |
Kevin Foley Kevin Foley Kevin Owen Foley , Australian politician, is the current Minister for Industry and Trade and Minister for Federal/State Relations in the Rann Labor government. He previously served as Treasurer of South Australia and Deputy Premier of South Australia from 2002 until his resignation in 2011... |
ALP | 22.7% |
| Spence Electoral district of Spence Spence was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1970 to 2002. The district was based in the inner north-west suburbs of Adelaide.... |
Michael Atkinson Michael Atkinson Michael John Atkinson , an Australian politician, was the South Australian Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and Minister for Multicultural Affairs in the Rann Labor Government. A day after the 2010 election, he stepped down as Attorney-General and resigned... |
ALP | 23.3% |
| Price Electoral district of Price Price was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1985 to 2002. Based in the north-west of Adelaide, it was a safe seat for the Labor Party.The district was renamed Cheltenham at the 2002 state election... |
Murray De-Laine Murray De-Laine Murray Royce De Laine is a former Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1985 and 2002, representing the electorate of Price.... |
ALP | 24.4% |
| LIBERAL SEATS (26) | |||
| Marginal | |||
| Gordon Electoral district of Gordon (South Australia) Gordon was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1993 to 2002. The district was based on and around the town of Mount Gambier.... |
Rory McEwen Rory McEwen Rory McEwen , Australian politician, was the independent member for the seats of Gordon and Mount Gambier in the South Australian House of Assembly.... |
IND | 0.1% v LIB |
| Hartley Electoral district of Hartley Hartley is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after John Hartley, a public servant responsible for creating much of South Australia's public education system... |
Joe Scalzi Joe Scalzi Giuseppe "Joe" Scalzi is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1993 and 2006, representing the electorate of Hartley.... |
LIB | 0.7% |
| Stuart Electoral district of Stuart Stuart is an electorate for the South Australian House of Assembly. It covers the northeast part of the state extending from just north of the Barossa Valley all the way to the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales borders, and extending west to include Port Augusta... |
Graham Gunn Graham Gunn Graham McDonald Gunn, AM , Australian politician, was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly. He represented the electoral district of Stuart and was a member of the Liberal Party of Australia... |
LIB | 1.5% |
| Heysen Electoral district of Heysen Heysen is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Sir Hans Heysen, a prominent South Australian landscape artist. It is a 616 km² electoral district stretching from residential suburbs in the east and southeast of Adelaide... |
David Wotton David Wotton David Charles Wotton is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1975 and 2002, representing the electorates of Murray and Heysen.... |
LIB | 1.9% v AD |
| Chaffey Electoral district of Chaffey Chaffey, created in 1936, is an electorate for the South Australian House of Assembly. It covers the Riverland region of South Australia and is named after brothers George and William Chaffey who established the irrigation area along the Murray River from 1886... |
Karlene Maywald Karlene Maywald Karlene Ann Maywald is an Australian National Party politician who represented the seat of Chaffey in the South Australian House of Assembly from October 1997 until March 2010... |
NAT | 2.6% v LIB |
| Frome Electoral district of Frome Frome is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Edward Charles Frome, the third surveyor-general of South Australia. The electorate is based around the industrial city of Port Pirie and the agriculture areas of Clare and Gilbert... |
Rob Kerin Rob Kerin Robert Gerard Kerin was the Liberal Premier of South Australia from 22 October 2001 to 5 March 2002. He also served as Deputy Premier of South Australia to John Olsen from 7 July 1998 until he became premier upon Olsen's resignation.... |
LIB | 2.9% |
| Colton Electoral district of Colton Colton is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a 14.2 km² urban electorate on Adelaide's western beaches, taking in the suburbs of Fulham, Fulham Gardens, Grange, Henley Beach, Henley Beach South, Kidman Park as well as parts of... |
Steve Condous Steve Condous Steve George Condous is a former Australian politician. From 1987 to 1993, he was the Lord Mayor of Adelaide before retiring to stand for state government... |
LIB | 4.0% |
| Davenport Electoral district of Davenport Davenport is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after nineteenth-century pioneer and politician Sir Samuel Davenport. Davenport is a 37.4 km² electorate covering part of outer suburban Adelaide and the southern foothills of... |
Iain Evans Iain Evans Iain Frederick Evans is a South Australian Liberal Party politician. He studied at Heathfield High School and gained a Bachelor Degree for Building Technology from the SA Institute of Technology . Prior to entering politics he managed a family-owned building and retailing business... |
LIB | 4.3% v AD |
| Unley Electoral district of Unley Unley is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after the suburb of the same name, it is a 12.2 km² urban electorate in Adelaide's inner southern suburbs, taking in the suburbs of Eastwood, Frewville, Fullarton, Glenunga, Highgate, Hyde... |
Mark Brindal Mark Brindal Mark Brindal is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly, Adelaide, South Australia, between 1989 and 2006, representing the electorates of Heywood and then Unley.-Early life:Brindal was born in South Australia and was educated... |
LIB | 4.5% |
| Mawson Electoral district of Mawson The Electoral district of Mawson is an electorate for the South Australian House of Assembly. It covers the outer southern suburbs of Woodcroft, Hackham, Hackham West, Huntfield Heights and Noarlunga Downs, as well as the regional shopping centre at Noarlunga as well as the southern wine region... |
Robert Brokenshire Robert Brokenshire Robert "Rob" Lawrence Brokenshire is a South Australian dairy farmer and Member of the 48th, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd and current South Australian Parliament. Formerly a real estate broker, Brokenshire was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1993 and... |
LIB | 4.7% |
| Adelaide Electoral district of Adelaide Adelaide is an electorate for the South Australian House of Assembly which includes Adelaide's central business district and suburbs in the inner north and inner north east... |
Michael Armitage | LIB | 5.4% |
| Waite Electoral district of Waite Waite is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after Peter Waite, a 19th entrepreneur and philanthropist in the current area of the electorate, it is a 30.6km² urban electorate in Adelaide's inner south-eastern suburbs, taking in the... |
Martin Hamilton-Smith Martin Hamilton-Smith Martin Leslie James Hamilton-Smith is the member for the electoral district of Waite in the South Australian House of Assembly since 1997... |
LIB | 5.9% v AD |
| Fairly safe | |||
| Bright Electoral district of Bright Bright is an electorate for the South Australian House of Assembly. It covers southern coastal suburbs of Adelaide including Hove, Brighton, Seacliff, Seacliff Park, Marino, Hallett Cove, Somerton Park, South Brighton, North Brighton and Kingston Park.... |
Wayne Matthew Wayne Matthew Wayne Anthony Matthew is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Australia in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1989 to 2006 inclusive, representing the electorate of Bright.... |
LIB | 6.2% |
| Light Electoral district of Light Light is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Colonel William Light who was the first Surveyor-General of South Australia. The electorate was created in 1857, abolished in 1902 and reinstated in 1936... |
Malcolm Buckby Malcolm Buckby Malcolm Robert Buckby is a former politician who lost his seat in the electoral district of Light in the 2006 SA election. He is a former research economist and farmer first elected in 1993 replacing Bruce Eastick.... |
LIB | 6.3% |
| Kavel Electoral district of Kavel Kavel, created in 1969, is an electorate for the South Australian Legislative Assembly in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia.Kavel is named after Lutheran pastor August Kavel who migrated to South Australia from Germany in 1838 with approximately 250 people seeking freedom from religious... |
John Olsen John Olsen John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years... |
LIB | 6.3% v AD |
| Finniss Electoral district of Finniss Finniss is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Boyle Finniss, the first Premier of South Australia... |
Dean Brown Dean Brown Dean Craig Brown, AO was the Liberal Premier of South Australia between 14 December 1993 and 28 November 1996, and Deputy Premier of South Australia between 22 October 2001 and 5 March 2002 to Rob Kerin.-Political career:... |
LIB | 7.3% v AD |
| Coles Electoral district of Coles Coles was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1970 to 2002. The district was based in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide.... |
Joan Hall Joan Hall Joan Lynette Hall is a former member of the South Australian House of Assembly, serving in the electoral district of Coles from 1993 to 2002 and the renamed electoral district of Morialta from 2002 to 2006.... |
LIB | 7.8% |
| MacKillop Electoral district of MacKillop MacKillop is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named in 1991 after Mary MacKillop , who served the local area, it is a 24,358.3 km² rural electorate in the south-east of the state, stretching from the mouth of the Murray River... |
Mitch Williams Mitch Williams (Australian politician) Michael Richard "Mitch" Williams is a South Australian Liberal politician and farmer. He is currently the deputy opposition leader in the South Australian parliament. He resigned from the Liberal Party and was elected to the safe Liberal seat of MacKillop in the state's south east at the 1997... |
IND | 7.9% v LIB |
| Newland Electoral district of Newland Newland is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after pioneer Simpson Newland, a prominent figure in nineteenth-century South Australia... |
Dorothy Kotz Dorothy Kotz Dorothy Christine Kotz is a former Australian politician who had been the sitting Liberal member for the electoral district of Newland of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1989 until her retirement in 2006.... |
LIB | 8.0% |
| Schubert Electoral district of Schubert Schubert is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Max Schubert, the winemaker of Grange Hermitage... |
Ivan Venning Ivan Venning Ivan Howard Venning is an Australian politician and Liberal Party member of the South Australian House of Assembly since 1990.... |
LIB | 8.7% v AD |
| Fisher Electoral district of Fisher Fisher is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after James Fisher, a colonial politician and the first mayor of Adelaide... |
Bob Such Bob Such Robert Bruce "Bob" Such , Australian politician, is the member for the seat of Fisher in the South Australian House of Assembly, as an independent since 2000, and as member of the Liberal Party member from the 1989 election to 2000.... |
LIB | 9.8% |
| Flinders Electoral district of Flinders Flinders is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after explorer Matthew Flinders, who was responsible for charting most of the state's coastline. It is a 55,260.6 km² coastal rural electorate encompassing the Eyre Peninsula and... |
Liz Penfold Liz Penfold Elizabeth Meryl "Liz" Penfold was an Australian politician who represented the seat of Flinders in the South Australian House of Assembly for the Liberal Party from 1993 to 2010.... |
LIB | 10.0% v NAT |
| Safe | |||
| Morphett Electoral district of Morphett Morphett is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the state of South Australia.Created in 1976 following an electoral redistribution, the seat of Morphett was named after Sir John Morphett who lived in the Morphettville area and was speaker of the enlarged Legislative Council in 1851... |
John Oswald John Oswald (politician) John Kenneth Gibson Oswald is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1979 to 2002, representing the safe Liberal electorate of Morphett.... |
LIB | 13.0% |
| Hammond Electoral district of Hammond Hammond is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Ruby Hammond, the first indigenous woman to stand for the South Australian parliament... |
Peter Lewis Peter Lewis (politician) Ivan Peter Lewis is an Australian politician. Lewis was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1979 and 2006 in the electorates of Hammond, Ridley, Murray-Mallee and Mallee. Between 1979 and 2000 he was in the House as a Liberal member. From 2000 until 2006 he served as an... |
LIB | 14.7% |
| Goyder Electoral district of Goyder Goyder is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a 10,406.4 km² rural electorate based around the Yorke Peninsula and taking in the towns of Ardrossan, Bute, Corny Point, Edithburgh, Maitland, Minlaton, Moonta, Owen, Port Wakefield,... |
John Meier | LIB | 17.2% |
| Bragg Electoral district of Bragg Bragg is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. The seat of Bragg is named after the eminent physicists Bragg – William Henry and his son, William Lawrence. The electorate is largely urban and encompasses a significant portion of the City of... |
Graham Ingerson Graham Ingerson Graham Alexander Ingerson is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1983 and 2002, Deputy Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 7 July 1998 to Premier John Olsen and represented the very safe... |
LIB | 18.8% |
| Very safe | |||
Legislative CouncilSouth Australian Legislative CouncilThe Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
Results
| 1997 Legislative Council South Australian Legislative Council The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly... Result (STV Single transferable vote The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or... GV Group voting ticket Group voting tickets are a way to simplify preferential voting, usually in an election held under the single transferable vote or the alternative vote system.... ) |
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| Party | Seats | ||
| Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
37.8% | 4 | |
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
30.6% | 4 | |
| Australian Democrats Australian Democrats The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader... |
16.7% | 2 | |
| No Pokies No Pokies No Pokies is an independent South Australian Legislative Council ticket that contested the 1997, 2002, and 2006 statewide legislative council elections... |
2.9% | 1 | |
| HEMP Legalise Marijuana HEMP Legalise Marijuana HEMP in this context, is an acronym for Help End Marijuana Prohibition, a minority political party in South Australia. They have run in the upper house with noticeable results, through various South Australian legislative elections, their best in the 1997 state election.-External links:***... |
1.7% | ||
| SA Greens | 1.7% | ||
| Grey Power Grey Power Grey Power, an Australian political party lobby group, first registered in 1983. At the federal elections of 1984 and 1987 it ran candidates, but on both occasions these candidates did poorly... |
1.6% | ||
| United Australia Party | 1.3% | ||
| Nationals SA | 1.0% | ||
| 1997-2002 Legislative Council South Australian Legislative Council The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly... |
|||
| Party | Seats | ||
| Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
10 | ||
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
8 | ||
| Australian Democrats Australian Democrats The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader... |
3 | ||
| No Pokies No Pokies No Pokies is an independent South Australian Legislative Council ticket that contested the 1997, 2002, and 2006 statewide legislative council elections... |
1 | ||
In the Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
, the Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
won two seats for the first time. Elected were 4 Liberal, 4 Labor, 2 Australian Democrats, and No Pokies candidate Nick Xenophon
Nick Xenophon
Nicholas "Nick" Xenophon is a South Australian barrister, anti-gambling campaigner and politician. He attended Prince Alfred College, and studied law at the University of Adelaide, attaining his Bachelor of Laws in 1981. Xenophon established and became principal of his own law firm, Xenophon & Co....
. Carrying over from the 1993 election were 6 Liberal, 4 Labor, 1 Democrat; leaving the numbers at: 10 Liberal, 8 Labor, 3 Democrats, 1 No Pokies.
Both on 1.72%, the HEMP Legalise Marijuana
HEMP Legalise Marijuana
HEMP in this context, is an acronym for Help End Marijuana Prohibition, a minority political party in South Australia. They have run in the upper house with noticeable results, through various South Australian legislative elections, their best in the 1997 state election.-External links:***...
party received 15432 votes and the SA Greens received 15377 votes.
Legacy
The 1997 result put Labor within striking distance of winning government at the next election in 2002. John OlsenJohn Olsen
John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...
was left with internal disquiet over the leadership challenge and poor election result while his opponent, Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
was seen to have 'won' the campaign despite losing the election.
On February 6, 2007, Mike Rann told parliament that some in the Liberal party had leaked information to him before and during the election campaign. The following quote by Rann is from Hansard on 6/2/2007 http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/hansard_data/2007/HA/WH060207.HA.htm:
- You asked me a question and I will give you a 55-minute answer, because you will remember one day when I came into this place and I had, I think, 880 pages of cabinet and other documents... I remember being telephoned and told to go to a certain cafe, not in a white car but in a taxi, and then to walk in a zigzag fashion through the streets of a suburb, where I was to be handed cabinet documents. So much for their cabinet solidarity and cabinet confidentiality! There was a queue on the telephone telling us what had happened the day before. It was the same during the 1997 election campaign. People thought, `How does this guy (the leader of the opposition at the time) know intuitively exactly what John Olsen is doing the next day?' It was because I was being phoned and told! So, do not talk to me about cabinet solidarity lest I come in here and start naming names, which will set off another generation of disputation on the other side of the house. Anyway, cabinet approved, among other things, on 20 December 2006 minister Lomax-Smith's proposed statement and approved her to announce publicly that she opposed the proposal in cabinet. She did so because we agreed that she should be able to do so. Somehow I do not think that John Olsen agreed to what happened when I was getting the phone call at 6 o'clock in the morning and at midnight, and walking in a zigzag pattern through suburbs to be handed a cabinet bag and cabinet documents. We have a different approach. We agreed to it. It was a cabinet decision to agree to it. So, please, ask me some more questions, because there were two different camps involved in this leaking to the then poor unpopular leader of the opposition, and I am more than happy to name names.
See also
- Candidates of the South Australian state election, 1997Candidates of the South Australian state election, 1997This article provides information on candidates who stood for the 1997 South Australian state election, held on 11 October 1997.-Labor:*Frank Blevins MHA *John Quirke MHA *Anne Levy MLC-Liberal:*Harold Allison MHA...
- Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1997-2002Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1997-2002This is a list of members of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1997 to 2002, as elected at the 1997 state election:This is a list of members of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1997 to 2002, as elected at the 1997 state election:...
- Members of the South Australian Legislative Council, 1997-2002Members of the South Australian Legislative Council, 1997-2002This is a list of members of the South Australian Legislative Council between 1997 and 2002. As half of the Legislative Council's terms expired at each state election, half of these members were elected at the 1993 state election with terms expiring in 2002, while the other half were elected at the...
- Full results of the South Australian state election, 1997
- Previous election: South Australian state election, 1993
- Next election: South Australian state election, 2002