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June 17th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Updated
The ALP in South Australia is factoring an expected federal election wipeout into its planning for next year’s state poll.
The ABC has learned the party is holding off selecting a candidate for a key state seat so it can install someone from the federal arena if they lose in September.
For the Liberals, Carolyn Habib is hoping to seize the Adelaide southern suburbs seat of Elder, which the Government holds it by just 1.7 per cent.
“I haven’t really concerned myself with Labor and their activities and their plans for a campaign. My main priority and focus is to meet with as many community members as possible,” she said.
For Labor, local member Patrick Conlon is retiring and the Liberals are targeting the former minister’s decision to take on part-time work during his final months in the State Parliament.
Despite the seat’s importance to the ALP it is yet to select a replacement candidate.
Opposition Leader Steven Marshall thinks he knows why.
“We’re hearing that maybe they’re going to see who wins their seats, who loses their seats at the federal election [and there] might be some flow-through to the state election,” he said.
Labor sources have told the ABC the seat is being held open for Annabel Digance, a ministerial staffer who is running for the Liberal-held seat of Boothby in September’s federal election.
On current polling trends, her chances of winning the seat are remote.
Ministers in the state Labor Government were coy when asked what might happen.
“Watch this space. Can’t give anything away just yet. It’s a bit too early,” said minister Gail Gago.
Another minister, Tom Koutsantonis said: “She’s running for Boothby and doing a great job and she’s a great candidate, you’re absolutely right. Will she be the candidate for Elder? Well nominations aren’t open, and I don’t expect her to lose.”
Ms Digance said her focus was solely on winning Boothby.
The ALP said it was yet to set a date for the Elder state preselection.
Topics:
alp,
political-parties,
states-and-territories,
state-parliament,
parliament,
federal—state-issues,
elections,
government-and-politics,
sa,
adelaide-5000,
australia
First posted
Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-18/alp-coy-on-candidate-for-south-australian-seat-of-elder/4761598
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