Will the federal election results be replicated at next year's SA contest?
He apologised for being the man in the seat when it slipped from his party's hands for the first time in more than five decades.
As he descended from the stage, there to comfort the now-former MP were party faithful and elders, chief among them the recently-retired Senator Simon Birmingham.
Speaking to the media later, Mr Birmingham did not sugar-coat the result.
He said it was "diabolical" and he was "gutted" to see "so much good talent, particularly fresher, younger, newer faces" lose their seats.
If this wasn't rock bottom, he posited, it won't be too long before there is not much of a party.
With the loss of Sturt, the Liberals had lost their last metropolitan stronghold in Adelaide.
And with the Electoral Commission currently carrying out a three-candidate-preferred count in the seat of Grey, there are also concerns about one of the party's last two regional strongholds.
Live results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continues
A stark contrast to the Howard heyday where the party held Adelaide, Boothby, Hindmarsh, Kingston, Makin, Sturt, Wakefield (now Spence) and the peri-urban seat of Mayo.
Now, all gone.
A sign that John Howard knew how to tap into the outer-suburban "battler" vote in a way the current Liberal Party simply does not.
That era also saw the SA Liberals with scores of senior voices at the cabinet table — from Alexander Downer to Robert Hill and Nick Minchin — and rising stars like Christopher Pyne and Amanda Vanstone.
The party was in government at a state level too, making it unquestionably the dominant force in South Australian politics of the time.
How times change.
As bad as Saturday's result looks on the face of it, when you dive into the details it starts to look even worse.
In almost every one of the more than 400 polling places across Adelaide's eight electorates, voters favoured Labor on a two-party preferred count.
On polling day just a small handful of booths favoured the Liberals in higher numbers.
A kind way to look at those results would be to consider that pre-polls and postals generally favour the Liberal Party.
But any way you cut it, it's a devastating result — voters in almost every part of the city rejected the Liberals, often in emphatic numbers.
Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverage
Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC Listen
Both state Labor and Liberal leaders have been quick to distance their contest from the federal one.
At a press conference the day after Labor's victory, Premier Peter Malinauskas said he wasn't "sitting around counting numbers, thinking about seats".
"I think that would be self-serving," Mr Malinauskas said.
"Any sort of analysis for what this means for the state election would be foolhardy from my perspective. We've just got to get on with doing the job."
While Mr Malinauskas doesn't want to seem arrogant or over-confident, Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia also has strong reasons to distance himself from the result.
"The federal election has been fought on federal issues and I think people can distinguish between federal issues and state issues," he said.
"All I can say is we're just working hard every day now to make sure that we hold the Labor government to account, but also make sure we continue to put our alternative vision forward for the people of South Australia."
Mr Tarzia has enough to contend with, without looking at what's just happened to his federal colleagues.
He's a relatively-new leader, still defining to the public who he is and what his team stands for, up against a very popular, first-term government.
And there's even more he needs to overcome — the local Liberal Party's woes have been oft repeated.
They lost six seats in the 2022 state election, went on to lose two by-elections — one in Dunstan when former Premier Steven Marshall retired, another in Black following the resignation of former opposition leader David Speirs.
They lost MacKillop when Nick McBride turned independent.
The party has also been tarnished by criminal allegations — Mr Speirs has pleaded guilty to drugs charges, and Mr McBride has this week faced court over assault charges after being charged with three counts of assaulting his wife in April.
Before the 2022 election the brand also took a major hit — and lost other seats — when Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell was charged with fraud, and Narrunga MP Fraser Ellis was charged with deception — both have been found guilty but are waiting on appeals.
They both still sit in parliament as independents.
The Liberals also lost Kavel in the Adelaide Hills when Dan Cregan defected, making a deal with Labor to become Speaker.
With all that recent history, Peter Dutton's disastrous campaign is something the local team could have done without.
Party insiders are now questioning not how many seats Vincent Tarzia can win, but how many he might lose.
The good news is, with all the regional seats lost to defections and scandals, there could be a chance to gain some of those back.
But Saturday's result will have done little to energise the local membership — not a good start when you need to be developing an election campaign and pre-selecting candidates.
For Tarzia and his team, their hope will echo Simon Birmingham, that the federal election was rock bottom, and the only way from here is up.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

ABC News
6 minutes ago
- ABC News
Protesters disrupt Bisalloy Steel operations, opposing Israel exports
Protesters have disrupted operations at a Wollongong plant which makes armoured steel in an escalation of protest activity over exports to Israel. Up to 100 protesters used signs and camp equipment to block two main gates at Bisalloy Steel in Unanderra on Sunday night. Bisalloy Steel is Australia's only manufacturer of quenched and tempered steel plates suitable for armour applications. It has previously supplied Israeli arms company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Protesters said they were participating in the action because they believed Bisalloy's steel trade with Israel was aiding the Israeli Defence Force, making the company complicit in the killing of civilians. In a statement to the ABC, a Bisalloy spokesperson said the company only export its product "with the appropriate government approvals". "[Bisalloy] does not manufacture steel products for the use in bullets, missiles or similar weapons," it said. Protest organiser and Palestinian woman, Safaa Rayan, said anticipated shift change overs at 11pm and 7am did not proceed, with no workers attempting to access or leave the site. "It's now 7:02am," Ms Rayan said outside the factory on Monday. The company did not confirm if it altered planned work as a result of the protests. The protest came amid deteriorating conditions for Palestinians in Gaza recent weeks, with major aid agencies sounding the alarm about mass starvation, prompting Israel to open corridors for aid. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday said Israel was "quite clearly" breaching international law. Bisalloy moved its annual general meeting online in October last year in response to the previous protests at its Unanderra site. In a video of the AGM posted online by financial journalist Stephen Mayne, Bisalloy Steel chief executive Rowan Melrose said sales to Israeli companies over the past three years made up between 0.6 and 1.9 per cent of the company's revenue. "I also will state that we do not manufacture steel for munitions," he told investors. The company did not confirm if it had existing contracts with Israeli companies, except to say its products were sold "both in Australia and internationally". Picket co-organiser Jeremy Kerbel, who last year was arrested during a sit-in at the site, said protesters were demanding the company cease trade with Israel. "A lot of people from across the Illawarra have come here to say that Bisalloy is doing the unthinkable — aiding a genocide — and we want them to stop," he said. The Israeli government has been facing genocide allegations brought by South Africa in the International Court of Justice, but strongly denied its actions in Gaza were genocidal. Arthur Truman and Nicole Milinkovic travelled from Campbelltown to attend the protest. "It was important for us to make even just the littlest bit of impact," Ms Milinkovic said. Long-time Wollongong resident Angela Scott camped out with her partner. She said it was her third time picketing the company. "I think this is the most important issue of our times," she said. Ms Rayan said she was proud of the community for continuing to apply pressure on the company. "I am so proud of my community for coming out, for supporting this picket, for standing with the people of Palestine in saying 'people over profits'," she said.

ABC News
6 minutes ago
- ABC News
NSW premier resists calls for pro-Palestinian 'March for Humanity' on Sydney Harbour Bridge
The NSW premier has opposed calls for a mass pro-Palestinian march across Sydney Harbour Bridge, saying he "cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos". Palestine Action Group Sydney proposed the march for Sunday, August 3, to address the "extraordinary situation" in Gaza. It said it chose the bridge as "Australia's most iconic symbol" to send a "powerful message to the world". "Thousands of aid trucks remain stranded at crossings outside Gaza, as Israel starves the Palestinian population," a spokesperson said. More than 100 humanitarian agencies have warned the strip was facing mass starvation due to Israeli restrictions on essentials and aid. Palestinian health authorities said 133 people had died from starvation in the last week, including 87 children. Rallies in support of the Palestinian people have drawn thousands across the country since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has denied its actions have caused a starvation crisis, and instead blames Hamas for creating the situation. Premier Chris Minns said the NSW government could not "support the protest of this scale and nature" on the bridge on a week's notice. "The bridge is one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure in our city — used every day by thousands of people," he said. "Unplanned disruption risks not only significant inconvenience, but real public safety concerns. "We cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos." Palestine Action Group Sydney said there was "nothing chaotic about people marching for peace, to stop mass starvation". "If the premier says we need more time to plan such an event, then would he agree to support the 'March for Humanity' a week later? "We call on NSW authorities to work with us to plan this event and stand on the right side of history." A spokesperson for the group added it had lodged a form with police for its intentions with the "March for Humanity". NSW Police said it was aware of the proposed planned assembly and was "consulting relevant stakeholders". Mr Minns added that the force "were in discussions with organisers about other routes they can take" and were "working to ensure community safety is upheld". Opposition Leader Mark Speakman acknowledged the situation was tragic but said the bridge "belongs to everyone". "I can understand people have sincere and passionate views about what is happening in the Middle East, which whichever way you look at it, it is a tragedy," Mr Speakman said. "The failure to release hostages is a tragedy, the initial terrorist attack is a tragedy … and what is happening to innocent people in Gaza is a tragedy." But Mr Speakman said there were "plenty" of alternative ways to protest and "other venues where the protesters can march". "Absolutely they should not be taking over the harbour bridge," he said. NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson said on Monday the party endorsed the march and that it was "time for action".

ABC News
6 minutes ago
- ABC News
Protestors disrupt Bisalloy Steel operations, opposing Israel exports
Protesters have disrupted operations at a Wollongong plant which makes armoured steel in an escalation of protest activity over exports to Israel. Up to 100 protesters used signs and camp equipment to block two main gates at Bisalloy Steel in Unanderra on Sunday night. Bisalloy Steel is Australia's only manufacturer of quenched and tempered steel plates suitable for armour applications. It has previously supplied Israeli arms company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Protesters said they were participating in the action because they believed Bisalloy's steel trade with Israel was aiding the Israeli Defence Force, making the company complicit in the killing of civilians. In a statement to the ABC, a Bisalloy spokesperson said the company only export its product "with the appropriate government approvals". "[Bisalloy] does not manufacture steel products for the use in bullets, missiles or similar weapons," it said. Protest organiser and Palestinian woman, Safaa Rayan, said anticipated shift change overs at 11pm and 7am did not proceed, with no workers attempting to access or leave the site. "It's now 7:02am," Ms Rayan said outside the factory on Monday. The company did not confirm if it altered planned work as a result of the protests. The protest came amid deteriorating conditions for Palestinians in Gaza recent weeks, with major aid agencies sounding the alarm about mass starvation, prompting Israel to open corridors for aid. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday said Israel was "quite clearly" breaching international law. Bisalloy moved its annual general meeting online in October last year in response to the previous protests at its Unanderra site. In a video of the AGM posted online by financial journalist Stephen Mayne, Bisalloy Steel chief executive Rowan Melrose said sales to Israeli companies over the past three years made up between 0.6 and 1.9 per cent of the company's revenue. "I also will state that we do not manufacture steel for munitions," he told investors. The company did not confirm if it had existing contracts with Israeli companies, except to say its products were sold "both in Australia and internationally". Picket co-organiser Jeremy Kerbel, who last year was arrested during a sit-in at the site, said protesters were demanding the company cease trade with Israel. "A lot of people from across the Illawarra have come here to say that Bisalloy is doing the unthinkable — aiding a genocide — and we want them to stop," he said. The Israeli government has been facing genocide allegations brought by South Africa in the International Court of Justice, but strongly denied its actions in Gaza were genocidal. Arthur Truman and Nicole Milinkovic travelled from Campbelltown to attend the protest. "It was important for us to make even just the littlest bit of impact," Ms Milinkovic said. Long-time Wollongong resident Angela Scott camped out with her partner. She said it was her third time picketing the company. "I think this is the most important issue of our times," she said. Ms Rayan said she was proud of the community for continuing to apply pressure on the company. "I am so proud of my community for coming out, for supporting this picket, for standing with the people of Palestine in saying 'people over profits'," she said.