South Australian Election - Happy times in Happy Valley

With only 3 days left till Election Day, we have consistently been campaigning longer and harder, in the hope of encroaching on Labor’s 16 year reign over South Australia. The atmosphere in each of the electorates I have visited so far, is one of quiet confidence and hopefulness. 

My first day of campaigning consisted of door knocking for the seat of Waite with the current Davenport member, Sam Duluk MP. Sam won preselection against (Liberal) father and son duo Iain and Stan Evans in 2015. The Evans family have had a strong presence in Waite and have collectively held the seat for approximately 29 years. It is of no surprise that the constituents in the Waite electorate recognise Sam and his team. The strong relationships he has built with each constituent, is a reflection of the hard work that he and the Liberal team have injected into this campaign. The 35 degree heat and steep streets did not hinder our ability to door knock 400 houses in the space of a few hours. Residents were impressed with our efforts and offered us refreshments to thanks us for persevering through the strong South Australian sun. 

Day two saw us spend a day at Liberal Party HQ, to telephone canvass for the seat of Waite. It was an uncomplicated way to reach out to and engage with constituents, to better understand their opinion on current local issues including the state Liberal party’s new policies including the proposal of GlobeLink and cuts to the Emergency Services Levy Bills. 

On Tuesday I spent the day with Steven Murray (the current former State President of the South Australian Liberal Party) the Liberal candidate for Davenport and his team. We commenced the day at 6.30am with sign-waving on Flagstaff Road. Motorists showed their support by honking and waving at us as we stood in the 14 degree, crisp South Australian morning, waving our core-flutes. We then moved on to the suburb of Happy Valley where we continued our campaign efforts by letter-boxing until the early evening. 

Being able to participate in what we hope will be a colossal moment in the South Australian Liberal Party’s history, is not only a wonderful sentiment, but the experience and skills we have developed are immeasurable. The team have been working hard and have utilised every moment and opportunity. Irrespective of the result, we can indubitably be proud of our efforts. 

Diyanna Mimtas is a member of the Victorian Young Liberals