Mark AsserApr 14

A very polite piece of commentary on the new One Neuron members of the South Australian Parliament, who seem to have all of the intellectual heft I have come to associate with the brand. #saparli #auspol

https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/opinion/2026/04/14/one-nation-fresh-meat-for-labor-in-sa-parliament

One Nation 'fresh meat' for Labor in SA parliament - News | InDaily, Inside South Australia

Weeks away SA parliament sitting, Mike Smithson warns "One Nation can expect to become the fresh meat into which Labor will sink its teeth".

vidakApr 11

UNITED WORKERS UNION ELECTION

Are you sick of being ignored? We're here to listen. This Union election is a chance for your vote to make a real difference. Members First has a bold, new vision for one of Australia's largest blue collar Union's that could change not only your workplace but the whole country. It's time to put Members First. #unitedworkersunion #uwu #uwuelection2026 #ausunions #auspol #springst #saparli #qldpol #nswpol https://www.instagram.com/p/DUbrS-uj_xi/

https://moraleconomy.au/2026/04/11/united-workers-union-election/

Show threadNate CochraneApr 1
'SA Liberal Party say the policy means taxpayers will pay more to public schools in wealthier communities.' #education #auspol #qldpol #saparli www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

SA primary school principals' ...
SA primary school principals' association query free public school policy

A peak body for primary school principals says it is worried abolishing public school fees will see more money flow to wealthier schools, but the SA education minister says all parents were "doing it tough" and federal funding would go to addressing inequality.

Mark AsserMar 29

The ABC is reporting that only one seat is still in doubt after the state election. I'm guessing that postal votes haven't been finalised yet, but the two-candidate-preferred (2CP) count shows One Neuron with a 25 vote lead over Liberal, so I find myself hoping for a Lib win and now I feel dirty.

#saparli #auspol

Show threadMark AsserMar 28

Further electoral nerdery follows.

Given the tendency of the right wing to denigrate preferential voting, I had a look to see if the state election would have produced a different outcome under the primitive FPTP "system." In short - no, it wouldn't have changed the overall result, though both Labor and the Liberals would each have snatched an extra seat from an Independent.

In each of the four seats where One Neuron is leading the count now, they would also have won under FPTP with between 27% and 36% of the vote.

Labor would have won 35 seats rather than 34, but it's worth noting that they've picked up five seats with more than 50% of the primary vote so preferences in those cases are of academic interest.

The Libs would have picked up six seats instead of five. Big deal.

Anyway. Now that I've worked this out, I can (in theory) stop thinking about all of this.

Preferential voting is A Good Thing. But we knew that already.

#saparli #auspol

Mark AsserMar 27

An amateur election nerd writes...

The Nationals are, as I've mentioned before, dead in SA. The state electoral commission (ECSA) shows the Nats getting a splendid 0.1% of the primary votes in the lower house, so even if they were in coalition with the Libs it wouldn't have mattered. The Animal Justice Party got 0.5%, Legalise Cannabis got 0.9%, and the Greens got a full 10% overall.

#saparli #auspol

Show threadMark AsserMar 27
Another post-election thought... What would the new parliament look like if we were using that primitive First Past the Post system (and thank heavens we don't)? Can I be bothered looking into it? #saparli #auspol
Mark AsserMar 27

The ABC is reporting that the Libs will retain official Opposition status in the South Australian Parliament with five (5) seats in the lower house. First, that's a relief, it won't be One Neuron with up to four (4) seats. Second, it's weird that this is news. That's how odd things have become.

#saparli #auspol

Mark AsserMar 24

Liberal Party in "shit decision" shock. #saparli #auspol

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/24/liberal-party-preferences-handed-seats-pauline-hanson-one-nation-sa-election-ntwnfb

Liberal party preferences handed seats to One Nation in South Australian election, analysts say

Pauline Hanson’s party will have at least two seats in the upper house and at least one and likely more in the lower house

The Guardian
Mark AsserMar 23

A random thought about the South Australian election system. We have a redistribution after every single election to ensure fairness to both sides of politics at the next election. (There was a fair bit of sookage before this reform was introduced.) Well, how the hell will that work now? One for the state Electoral Commission to ponder. Sucks to be them.

#saparli #auspol