With one day until voters cast their ballots in tomorrow’s Tasmanian and South Australian elections, the papers are calling for the ALP to be returned in both states, although the pollsters are predicting it won’t be quite that simple.
Here’s how the pundits reckon it will all play out, and what it will mean for the Federal election later this year:
The Australian
Michael Owen: Hung parliament looms as likely poll outcome
The reality of Labor now facing a possible loss of five or more seats, along with its majority status in the 47-seat House of Assembly, is testament to how former lawyer Isobel Redmond has taken the fight up to Premier Mike Rann.
Matthew Denholm: Deadlock spells dead end for decade-long run
Barring a late, wild swing back to the party that has held government for 12 years, the end is nigh for Team Bartlett.
Sydney Morning Herald
Phillip Coorey: State election results could make life difficult for Rudd
Should Labor lose power in either South Australia or Tasmania – or both – this weekend, the most immediate impact federally will be a confidence boost for Tony Abbott.
ABC
Barrie Cassidy: Liberals yet to grasp Labor’s loosened power grip
It seems as if the electorate in many places is ready to throw out Labor governments, but the conservative parties clearly haven’t yet done enough to demand government in their own right.
Haydon Manning and Geoff Anderson: When winning may be almost as painful as losing
… if Labor is returned with a paper thin majority, or with the support of independents, the problems the Premier has experienced during the campaign may simply take a new form rather than disappear.
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