Safe hands versus fresh face: Leader debate’s slim margin
Opposition Leader Ashton Hurn made a big promise, while the Premier pushed on costings. See who was crowned winner and the latest campaign kick.
The SA Press Club declared Premier Peter Malinauskas the winner of their debate by a “bee’s whisker”, with a 2.25 point lead over Opposition Leader Ashton Hurn in the lively event held just eight days out from SA heading to the polls.
Malinauskas won with 38.25 points to Hurn’s 36 in what the judges said was “polished performances and excellent cut through” from both sides.
Judges pointed to Hurn’s performance as a sign the Liberal party was in strong hands with Hurn at the helm.
In the final minutes of the debate, Hurn announced a bold promise to freeze politician salaries and challenged the Premier to do the same in the lively debate at Adelaide Oval on Friday afternoon.
The ‘Hail Mary’ move was in line with the Liberal Party’s theme of criticising the Peter Malinauskas-led government for prioritising “vanity projects” and “PR spin” over ramping and other “important” policies.
The Premier hit back by thanking Nick Xenophon for his question (in reference to the former SA MP known for his stunts) and did not agree that politicians’ wages should be scrutinised.
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Malinauskas said he was “very happy” for the independent remuneration tribunal – which currently sets salaries for politicians – to continue to do so, adding they had delivered real wage cuts for politicians in the past.
Hurn, who started the day by self-proclaiming her underdog status and admitting, “I’m captaining a side that is certainly a few goals down and kicking into the wind”, claimed Malinauskas was “obsessed” with politics, PR and was “losing sight of what matters more broadly to the people of SA”.
While Malinauskas pushed Hurn on “standing up for basic decency” after homophobic and racist views of candidate Carston Woodhouse were unearthed by his Labor party this week. Woodhouse was dropped from the Liberal candidate lineup, but remains employed by the party.
Malinauskas said he was surprised the Liberals had a focus on law and order, claiming “there’s more criminals in the parliament from the Liberal party than there are women Liberals”. Hurn fired back that there was “only one person who has been required to wear a wiretap when they’ve met with former or current colleagues, and that’s the Premier”.
Both major parties faced heavy media scrutiny in the days before the debate, Hurn over Woodhouse’s comments and for the factional cracks it revealed in the Liberal party. While the Labor party faced questions over a leaked email originating from the Health Minister’s office that revealed patients’ confidential information. The Health Minister has apologised for the mistake.
In terms of other policies, Hurn espoused the Liberal policy to give people choice in buying homes under the party’s stamp duty policy but Malinauskas said that policy would make the housing shortage worse.
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He said allowing more people to be exempt from stamp duty for existing builds would drive more demand.
The Premier pulled out the spending tracker his party compiled of Liberal policies, pushing Hurn on costs. In the budget chat, Malinauskas said his party’s promises added up to $1.9 billion so far, claiming the Liberals had racked up $5.7 billion.
Hurn said Labor’s figures were “completely fanciful” but did not say the cost of her party’s promises so far. Hurn said her party would reveal their costings before the election.
Judging spokesperson Mike Smithson said “the closeness of the result was a clear indication of the calibre of both leaders”.
“The stakes couldn’t have been higher in their substance and delivery in front of a huge audience at Adelaide Oval and an even bigger live TV and online audience,” Smithson said.
“Peter Malinauskas is always a consummate performer on his feet but he met his match today.
“Ashton Hurn is a relative newcomer to the big stage and, by any measure, articulated her party’s position in a believable, relaxed but forthright fashion.
“The judges awarded a narrow split-decision victory to the Premier.”
Neither Malinauskas and Hurn would promise to “fix ramping” during the debate with Malinauskas pointing to shorter wait times for ambulances under his watch and Hurn saying she was committed to a stronger health system.
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