SA: Counting continues today in cliffhanger SA election
By Steve Larkin
ADELAIDE, Feb 11 AAP - South Australia's Liberal Party has started wooing independentsin the hope of forming a minority government, despite an election result being unlikelyfor days.
Postal votes and preferences will decide the outcome of Saturday's election, in whichthe Liberals were seeking a third consecutive term in power.
Two seats, Hartley and Norwood, will determine the election winner.
Should Labor emerge victorious in both seats it will form a majority government andcomplete a clean sweep of Labor rule in all Australian states and territories.
Labor's failure to claim both seats will result in Premier Rob Kerin wooing four independentsin a bid to form a Liberal minority government and avoid a hung parliament.
Two of the four independents are former Liberal members - one quit, the other was expelled- while the remaining independents have voted along Liberal lines in the past.
Independent Bob Such, who quit the Liberals in 2000, has warned his support for theLiberals was not guaranteed.
"I ran as a straight independent and the Liberal Party was trying to destroy me ...
I'm not obliged to anyone," he said.
Dr Such said he had been sounded out by both major parties on election night.
In the key seat of Hartley, incumbent Liberal Joe Scalzi had a 92 vote lead at theend of counting on Saturday night.
In Norwood, Labor's incumbent Vini Ciccarello trailed Liberal candidate Michael Durrantby 93 votes.
A total of 75.6 per cent of votes in the Norwood electorate were counted tonight and76.7 per cent in Hartley.
Meanwhile, Australian Democrats national leader Natasha Stott Despoja has ordered amajor revamp of her party following its disastrous showing in the election.
Support for the Democrats in a state considered its heartland dropped 9.2 per centto just 7.3 per cent of the primary vote.
"It is time to revisit our identity, our positioning and our goals," Senator StottDespoja said yesterday.
AAP sl/cjh/br e
KEYWORD: POLLSA DAYLEAD
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