Housing is a major platform for Labor to retain government
The polls point to a big election win for the incumbent South Australian premier but he still wants faster home builds.
AS polls point to a crushing victory in one state election, the Labor government has called on voters to seize opportunity and reject division.
South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas has painted the upcoming state poll as a crucial ballot on the future of politics, urging voters to reject “division and discord” amid a surge in support for One Nation.
He sought to project a positive future for the state on Sunday as he officially launched Labor’s campaign for re-election a month out from the vote.
Pointing to major housing plans and a multibillion-dollar industry building Australia’s future nuclear submarines, the premier called on people to embrace optimism, repeating the word “opportunity” more than a dozen times.
Polls point to a crushing victory for his Labor government, while the Liberals face a near-wipeout that could see the party eclipsed by One Nation.
A YouGov poll published on Friday showed the state opposition languishing at 20 per cent of the primary vote, behind One Nation on 22 per cent.
Labor enjoyed a 59-41 per cent lead over the opposition on a two-party preferred basis.
YouGov director Paul Smith predicted the Liberals could win as few as four of the state’s 47 lower-house seats, down from an already record-low 13.
The opposition claims the incumbent government is campaigning “under the crushing weight of their grave failings and broken promises”.
Shadow treasurer Ben Hood said Labour’s promises should be treated with scepticism, citing failures to address hospital ramping, its “failed hydrogen dream” and affordability issues for first-home buyers.
“The Malinauskas government has proven it is all talk and no action when it comes to the important things: health, affordability and community safety,” he said.
Labor on Sunday shifted its focus to housing with the twin announcements of $1 billion in funding to speed up home-building and an incentive for empty nesters to downsize.
“We’re going to build more homes at a (faster) pace than we’ve ever seen in the state’s history,” Mr Malinauskas said.
The funding pledge included $500 million to buy land that could be used to fast-track developments, alongside a pool of the same size to unlock apartment schemes in the Adelaide city centre.
It also rolled out a $70 million commitment to abolish stamp duty for residents aged 60 and older who bought smaller new-build or off-the-plan homes and moved out of larger family properties.
The move provides buyers with a one-time saving of up to $103,830.
“I remember people choosing to leave our state in the pursuit of opportunity,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“Today … we have more opportunity than anywhere else in the federation.”
The Liberals’ Ashton Hurn, who took over leadership of the beleaguered opposition in December, previously used her party’s election campaign launch to announce a policy to give over-55 downsizers a one-off stamp duty concession of $15,000.
The election will be held on March 21.
