Hammond is winnable for Labor in 2026, Premier Peter Malinauskas suggests
With a high-profile candidate and promises coming down the pipeline, South Australia’s leader hopes to offer locals a viable choice at the state election.
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Not since the 1960s has the Murraylands has a Labor representative in South Australia’s parliament, but Premier Peter Malinauskas reckons the party has a chance in 2026.
For one thing, Labor has picked its highest-profile candidate in years: Mid Murray Mayor Simone Bailey.
There would be local promises to announce before the March state election, too, the premier told Murray Bridge News during a visit to Murray Bridge on Tuesday.
Premiers had rarely been seen campaigning in the Murraylands in the past.
Did that suggest that a surprise result was possible in Hammond, the seat held by Liberal MP Adrian Pederick for the past 20 years?
“In modern politics, every seat is winnable and every seat is lose-able,” Mr Malinauskas said after a pause.
“The idea of safe seats is going out the window.
“That means you’ve got to campaign everywhere, and we’re certainly going to campaign here.”
The Liberal Party had taken voters in Hammond for granted, he argued.
But he was also frank about the Labor Party’s past failures to listen to locals, too.
“What we’re committed too at this election in Hammond is … a decent policy offering with a quality local candidate,” he said.
“We want to give people a choice, and we think they’re entitled to it.”
The last Labor MP to represent the Murraylands was Gabe Bywaters, the member for the former state electorate of Murray from 1956 to 1968 and a distant relative of Ms Bailey.
