Labor’s Cressida O’Hanlon wins the seat of

Dunstan

April 2024 With about half the vote counted, South Australia's Liberal leader David Speirs says it will be "exceptionally difficult" for his party to win the Dunstan by-election, but has stopped short of conceding defeat in the seat of former premier Steven Marshall. At the closing of counting Saturday night, Cressida O'Hanlon was leading 53.8% (final 50.8%) to 46.2% (final 49.2%) for Liberal's Ms Finizio. The numbers so far favour Labor candidate Cressida O'Hanlon over the Liberals' Anna Finizio, and also show a significant surge in first- preference support for Greens candidate Katie McCusker who managed a significant 19.1% on first preferences. Labor is not claiming victory yet, but Premier Peter Malinauskas told supporters on Saturday night that he was "taken aback" to find his party in an "extraordinary position". About 27,000 people were eligible to vote in the by-election, which was triggered by the retirement of Mr Marshall from his inner-east Adelaide seat. Counting of more than 7,000 pre-poll votes will get underway Monday. Ms Finizio expressed pride in the way she had conducted her campaign. "It was the most marginal seat in South Australia and boy did we give it a crack, we gave it a huge crack," she said. Speaking to volunteers at a Labor function on Saturday night, the SA premier was buoyant about his party's prospects in the seat named after one of its most successful leaders, Don Dunstan. "Cressida and I are both quite taken aback to be in this extraordinary position," Mr Malinauskas said. The premier earlier said Labor was "up against" history, because "history tells us governments just do not win seats off oppositions at by-elections. It hasn't happened in South Australia since 1908," he said. Ms O'Hanlon said she could not "express how grateful I am". "Tonight, we are in an incredible position and it's thanks to all of you," she told the gathering. Greens candidate Katie McCusker expressed optimism about a strong primary vote, which could in turn influence the broader outcome. "We're not here to make up the numbers, we're absolutely in this to win," Ms McCusker said.

Greek Tribune Adelaide, South Australia