ALP 12.5%
Incumbent MP
Susan Close, since 2012.
Geography
Northern Adelaide. The electorate covers the suburbs of Birkenhead, Cavan, Dry Creek, Ethelton, Gillman, Largs North, North Haven, Osborne, Ottoway, Outer Harbor, Peterhead, Taperoo, Wingfield and parts of Bolivar, Gepps Cross, Globe Derby Park, Largs Bay, Pooraka and Rosewater. The electorate covers parts of Port Adelaide Enfield and Salisbury council areas.
Redistribution
Port Adelaide gained Ethelton, Birkenhead and Peterhead from Lee, and Bolivar from Taylor. Port Adelaide also lost Greenfields, Parafield Gardens and Mawson Lakes to Playford. These changes increased the Labor margin from 10.6% to 12.5%.
History
The name ‘Port Adelaide’ has been used by three incarnations of an electorate in the area. The first was a two-member electorate that existed from 1857 to 1887. The second was a Labor seat from 1938 until 1970.
The current electorate has existed since 2002, replacing the electorate of Hart that existed from 1993 to 2002. The seat has been held by two successive Labor MPs.
Hart was won in 1993 by Kevin Foley. Foley was re-elected in Hart in 1997, and in 2002 moved to Port Adelaide.
Foley was elected deputy leader of the ALP after the 2002 election, and thus became Deputy Premier in the Rann government.
Foley served as Deputy Premier and Treasurer until early 2011, when he stepped down from those roles. He resigned from Cabinet entirely in October 2011, and then resigned from Parliament in December 2011.
Labor candidate Susan Close won the 2012 by-election, and was re-elected in 2014.
Candidates
- Bryan Tingey (Dignity)
- Nicholas Hancock (Animal Justice)
- Gary Johanson (SA Best)
- Chad McLaren (Liberal)
- Danica Moors (Greens)
- Peter Matthews (Danig Party)
- Susan Close (Labor)
- Bruce Hambour (Conservatives)
Assessment
Port Adelaide is a safe Labor seat.
2014 election result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Redist |
| Susan Close | Labor | 11,760 | 51.8 | +2.0 | 49.9 |
| Brad Vermeer | Liberal | 7,330 | 32.3 | +5.4 | 29.3 |
| Mark Seater | Greens | 1,815 | 8.0 | +1.6 | 9.5 |
| Bruce Hambour | Family First | 1,783 | 7.9 | +2.1 | 5.7 |
| Others | 5.5 | ||||
| Informal | 800 | 3.4 |
2014 two-party-preferred result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Redist |
| Susan Close | Labor | 13,745 | 60.6 | -2.1 | 62.5 |
| Brad Vermeer | Liberal | 8,943 | 39.4 | +2.1 | 37.5 |
Booth breakdown
Booths in Port Adelaide have been divided into three parts: central, north and south.
Labor won a majority of the two-party-preferred vote in all three areas, ranging from 63.7% in the centre to 66.6% in the south.
| Voter group | ALP 2PP % | Total votes | % of votes |
| North | 63.9 | 7,025 | 31.4 |
| Central | 63.7 | 5,918 | 26.4 |
| South | 66.6 | 3,796 | 17.0 |
| Other votes | 56.5 | 5,646 | 25.2 |
Two-party-preferred votes in Port Adelaide at the 2014 SA state election
The seat of Port Adelaide has historically been a safe labor heartland.
However, Port Adelaide-Enfield Mayor Gary Johanson (“Independent for You” now turned SA Best candidate) returns to contest Port Adelaide after attempts in the 2012 by-election (24% of the primary) and his 2014 state election run in the neighbouring seat of Lee (11.2% of the primary). The SA Liberal party would be insane not to preference SA Best in this seat.
Joining forces with SA Best may have bolstered or hindered Johanson’s chances, however his promises of upgrading sport and recreational facilities, and cleaning up Port Adelaide’s derelict and dilapidated areas may win a number of “taken for granted” voters over.
Undelivered promises of rejuvenating the Port and the $2.2 million tax payer cost of the failed Gillman lands sale/High court legal battle may have frustrated many in the electorate.
Although with Susan Close’s local popularity and her loyal voter base, Labor should hold on to this seat but still a seat to watch closely nonetheless.
My prediction: Likely Labor hold, although expect Gary Johanson to give Susan Close a good run for her money.