The 2006 South Australian Election: something old, something new, something borrowed and something (not) blue

Abstract

At first glance the 18 March 2006 South Australian election appears to be consistent with trends evident across the Australian states in recent years. As was the case in NSW, Queensland, WA and Victoria, a Labor government that had come to office largely dependent upon the support of a small number of independents was re-elected in its own right with majorities varying from a landslide to a comfortable majority. However, in the case of South Australia, there are several significant differences. Most notably, there was a remarkable variation in the level of support for the major parties in each of the two Houses and an unprecedented vote for an independent candidate in the upper house. This paper offers an analysis of the election, explains the trends and locates them in the context of broader electoral patterns.