THE POLL BLUDGER
South Australian House of Assembly Election 2006

ASHFORD
Labor 3.8%

Ashford is located immediately south-west of the Adelaide CBD, from Keswick out to Plympton. Known as Hanson until 1997, it was traditionally a Liberal seat until electoral law changes in 1991 compelled a reorientation in Labor's favour in the name of an enigmatic quality identified as "fairness". This prompted sitting member Heini Becker to jump ship to Peake (now West Torrens), but Liberal candidate Stewart Leggett still managed to win the redrawn seat as the tide went out on Labor at the 1993 election. A 7.5 per cent swing at the 1997 election delivered it to Labor's Stephanie Key (left), who overcame a challenge from independent candidate John Trainer, a local Labor member from 1979 until his defeat in 1993. Trainer swayed enough traditional Labor voters to poll 19.1 per cent and reduce Key to second place on the primary vote, but his votes went straight back to Key as preferences and she prevailed over Leggett by 5.6 per cent on two-party preferred. The Liberal candidate is Kevin Kaeding (right), president of the SA Residents and Ratepayers Association.

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain

An outstanding result for Labor has turned Ashford into a safe seat, less than a decade after it was last in Liberal hands. The 12.3 per cent swing was bettered only by Bright and Playford, and was achieved through double-digit shifts in both the Labor and Liberal primary vote. Also a good result for the Greens, who harvested 4.0 per cent from a 5.0 per cent decline in the Democrats vote to poll 9.1 per cent.

OUTCOME: Labor retain (16.1%)