South Australia election: Labor’s Peter Malinauskas wins as Scott Morrison watches Cronulla Sharks

Alarm bells are ringing for Scott Morrison’s upcoming re-election bid after the Labor Party thumped the Liberals in the South Australian state election.

Peter Malinauskas, a 41-year-old father of three known for showing off his ripped physique on social media, will take over from Liberal leader Steven Marshall who is at risk of losing his own seat after a massive swing away from the government in Saturday’s vote.

Political pundits have warned a similar defeat could be awaiting the Prime Minister when voters head to the polls for the federal election, expected in May.

But despite the dire warning signs for the Coalition, the Prime Minister showed no signs of panic.

He spent the evening cheering on his beloved Cronulla Sharks in Sydney as they snatched a last minute 18-16 victory over rivals Parramatta, while the state election bloodbath played out.

If the accuracy of pre-election polling in SA is replicated during the upcoming federal election Australia could have its first Labor prime minister since Kevin Rudd.

Going into the contest SA Labor held a massive 12-point lead on two-party preferred polling.

The most recent federal election Newspoll currently gives Labor a similar 55-45 lead, which has remained unchanged for two weeks.

The figures indicate Labor would receive 41 per cent of the primary vote to the Coalition’s 35 per cent, gifting Anthony Albanese the keys to The Lodge.

But polls aren’t always reliable and in 2018 Mr Morrison defeated Labor’s Bill Shorten in what was thought to be an unwinnable election for the Coalition. 

Former Labor Treasurer Wayne Swan took a cheeky swipe at the Prime Minister on Twitter following the vote saying ‘Scott Morrison was Labor’s secret weapon in the SA election’.

TV Commentator Peta Credlin, a former Chief of Staff to Tony Abbott, also took aim at the Liberal party.

She said outgoing premier Steven Marshall lost vital suburban voters by cancelling the Adelaide 500 supercar race.  

‘They are the seats of the Liberal Party in the future, the blue rinse set in the Liberal Party have to come to grips, they are their people,’ she said. 

Scott Morrison (pictured) spent the evening cheering on his beloved Cronulla Sharks in Sydney as they snatched a last minute 18-16 victory over rivals Parramatta, while the state election bloodbath played out

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese (left with Labor candidate for Forde Rowan Holzbergel) is slightly ahead of Scott Morrison in the polls

Mr Marshall’s support also started to fall apart when he allowed Covid to spread by opening South Australia’s borders in November after the state went months without a single local case.

Meanwhile, Mr Malinauskas boosted his profile with an effective social media campaign showing off pictures with his wife Annabel and three children Sophie, Jack and Eliza.

The hunky dad caused a stir earlier this month when he shared a topless snap of him holding daughter Eliza at a swimming pool.

The Labor leader also posts pictures and videos of his athletic pursuits, including running and playing footy.

Premier Marshall and the Liberals compared Mr Malinauskas online profile to that of Vladimir Putin, who also poses topless, and big-spending Kim Kardashian.

Despite the back-and-forth during the campaign, Mr Malinauskas paid tribute to the outgoing Premier calling him ‘utterly generous, gracious’ and a man with ‘class’. 

‘I think sometimes on election nights when governments change hands, that the successful party can confuse the elation of electoral success with an inflated sense of achievement,’ the election winner said.

‘Naturally, people of South Australia and Labor are right to feel satisfied tonight. But true satisfaction for us comes in realising our ambition, ideal of delivering a fairer, better society and more opportunity for those who need it most.’ 

Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas (pictured with his wife Annabel) is set to become Premier

Peter Malinauskas fronts the cameras as he places his vote in the ballot box

Labor’s key to victory was secured by an early swing across marginal seats in metropolitan Adelaide.  

With 25 of the 47 seats now called, Labor’s primary vote is up close to eight per cent in the metropolitan area and slightly less on a statewide basis.

The party appears to be attracting many voters who supported Nick Xenophon’s SA-BEST party at the last election. 

Labor soared ahead in the key marginals of King, Newland, Adelaide and Elder, the four seats considered most likely to fall if the opposition was to win.

According to the latest Electoral Commission figures, statewide Labor had 40.5 per cent of the primary vote, to 35.6 for the governing Liberals. 

Pictured: Liberal Party Premier Steven Marshall with former PM John Howard ahead of the vote

Premier Steven Marshall is at risk of losing his own seat of Dunstan as Labor steamroll the Liberals

Key independents Dan Cregan in the Adelaide Hills, Geoff Brock, who shifted to the seat of Stuart in the mid-north, and Troy Bell in Mt Gambier were on track to be re-elected.

Early figures also had Premier Steven Marshall in trouble in his own seat of Dunstan though he was still just ahead.

Putting on a brave face, the first Premier to lose his seat since the onset of the Covid pandemic was graceful and upbeat during his concession speech. 

‘It has been an honour and privilege to serve the people of South Australia,’ he told supporters.   

Peter Malinauskas is pictured with his wife and kids in a photo shared on his Facebook profile

Peter Malinauskas is pictured taking a dip in the pool with his daughter