Following yesterday’s guide to
who’s who in the factional zoo of Tasmanian candidates, here’s a guide
to some of the key Labor hopefuls in the marginals for the South
Australian state election, scheduled for 18 March.

Yesterday’s Adelaide Advertiser poll
puts the Rann Labor Government on 55% of the two party preferred vote –
ten points ahead of the Liberals – meaning some of these loyalists will
soon be adding a bright new section to their CVs.

Grace Portolesi, Hartley:
Chief of Staff to left wing Minister, Jay Weatherill. Young, personable
and assisted by marriage to an Adelaide Advertiser journalist. Italian
background negates incumbent plodder, Joe Scalzi.

Justin Jarvis, Stuart:
Second time around for Labor right staffer turned regional development
bureaucrat. Called his son Chifley. The swing to the ALP is on in the
metropolitan area rather than this Pt Augusta based seat. However young
JJ is from rural Quorn and local feeling suggests 20 years is enough
for near-inarticulate incumbent, Graham Gunn.

Tony Piccolo, Light:
Labor left local Mayor has the local credibility that previous
candidate, now Senator, Annette Hurley lacked. Works for the ATO.

Leon Bignall, Mawson:
Former sports journo turned media adviser to the convivial party heavy
Patrick Conlon. Probably became Conlon’s Chief of Staff because he is
such good company. May struggle in rural McLaren Vale, but should charm
a few single mums in Hackam West. Supported by the left, but unlikely
to have ever read Marx.

Lindsay Simmons, Morialta:
Labor Right. Former Chief of Staff to Education Minister. Currently
Deputy at Council for the Aging. A bit scatty and obsessive, but will
be a hard working candidate.

Chloe Fox, Bright: From a distance, a dream candidate. Is gorgeous. Daughter of loved children’s author, Mem Fox. Former Tiser
journo turned schoolteacher. Is supported by the unmatched Atkinson
campaign machine. Picked up a swing as the recent Federal candidate. Up
close can be a bit rude and melodramatic. Liberal incumbent is
retiring, but he may not have had much of a personal vote.

Tom Kenyon, Newland:
Softly spoken Labor right staffer has an economics background. Labor
only wins this Metropolitan seat once every 20 years, but is odds on
this time. Will get strong support from the Shoppies union.

Rosemary Clancy, Mitchell:
Bolkus lefty and former local mayor. Daughter works for serial federal
failure Gail Gago, now parked by her factional friends in the
Legislative Council. Former sitting Labor MP turned Green Kris Hanna is
an angry man who hoped to top the Greens’ Leg Co ticket, realising that
he had no chance of getting back in Mitchell. The Greens think they
have the best chance ever of winning in the Upper House and, sensibly,
gave the top spot to a 20-year eco-warrior, not the recent turncoat.
Hanna is now reluctantly running for his own Seat. Hanna vocally quit
Labor over its law and order policies (although appointing country
independent Rory McEwen to the Ministry ahead of him may have been the
real reason). It was quickly pointed out that Labor campaigners saved
Hanna in the last two weeks of the last election by flooding Mitchell
letter boxes with law and order material. Just about every voter in
Mitchell is over 100 years old and there have been plenty of jokes made
in Labor circles about letter boxing Mitchell next time, informing
local seniors of the full horror of Green policies. Peter Singer’s
views on relations with pets is a favourite.