Xenophon trails in SA seat chase

NICK Xenophon might not win his own seat at the South Australian election, a new poll has revealed, as the state’s political leaders continue their final push of the four-week campaign.

In an Advertiser-Galaxy poll of 590 voters in the seat of Hartley, incumbent Liberal MP Vincent Tarzia leads the SA-BEST party leader 51 to 49 per cent in the two-party preferred vote.

Mr Tarzia also polled the highest primary vote at 38 per cent, ahead of Mr Xenophon on 30 per cent and Labor candidate and former minister Grace Portolesi on 22 per cent.

Mr Xenophon called Saturday’s election a “twohorse race” and appealed to voters to consider where their preferences will be directed.

“My message to Labor and Greens voters is that if they vote for Labor or the Greens in the seat of Hartley they’ll effectively be delivering the seat to the Liberals and to [leader Steven] Marshall,” he said.

He said it was premature to comment on how the party would operate if he failed to win Hartley.

“There’ll obviously need to be a parliamentary leader if I don’t make it, but I’m not contemplating that,” Mr Xenophon said.

The former federal senator yesterday revealed a plan to “drought-proof” South Australia by pledging $20 million to develop a statewide stormwater plan, should SABEST win balance of power.

The money would also fund research to help SA cope better with droughts, with a focus on plant resilience and increasing crop yields.

“As the driest state in the driest continent we have an obligation to ourselves to tackle a world water shortage before it happens,” Mr Xenophon said.

The Liberals offered up a major funding commitment of their own — a $16 million pledge to extend outreach palliative care services to 24 hours, seven days a week and promised a statewide review of all palliative care programs.

In Mr Marshall’s electorate of Dunstan, Premier Jay Weatherill campaigned with local Labor candidate Matt Loader, though the AdvertiserGalaxy poll suggests the Opposition Leader has little to worry about.

In the two-party preferred vote, the poll has Mr Marshall leading Mr Loader 53 to 47 per cent.

Earlier in the day, the Premier promised at least 90 per cent of work on Labor’s major infrastructure projects would be completed by South Australians.