The countdown is on for Saturday's SA election and three significant new sets of figures could help decide whether Liberal Premier Steven Marshall is returned for a second term or whether Peter Malinauskas's Labor Party can seize an unexpected victory.
The penultimate day of campaigning in the election has yielded some big numbers and each could have an effect on Saturday’s result.
Here's how they are key.
COVID cases spike
Days after the state eased most of its restrictions on hospitality venues, including bans on singing and dancing, COVID cases are markedly on the rise.
There were 4,474 positive test results unveiled on Thursday, the highest daily total in two months and the fourth-highest since the pandemic began.
Another three South Australians with COVID-19 died.
The seven-day average of daily cases is now up to 2,710.
More than 130 people with COVID are in hospital, significantly fewer than the 300 or so in hospital in mid-January. But the numbers had fallen below 100 earlier in March.
While decision-making around COVID rules is squarely in the hands of the state's Police Commissioner during the election campaign period, the numbers could cause discomfort for the government on Saturday.
That's especially the case when you consider up to 19,541 people who currently have the virus, and tens of thousands of their close contacts, will be picking up ballot papers from Rapid Antigen Testing sites so they can cast a postal ballot from isolation or quarantine.
SA unemployment highest in nation
Thursday also bought the Australian Bureau of Statistics's jobs figures for the month of February, showing South Australia's unemployment rate remains the worst in the nation.
The figures showed unemployment rose from 4.8 per cent in January to 5 per cent in February.
That's despite more than 4,900 people finding work in February.
For a government that has prided itself on economic management, the numbers could have been a cause for cringe, but "Mr Smiles", AKA Premier Steven Marshall, characteristically focused on the positives.
There was a 0.4 per cent increase in participation rates and a 0.5 per cent reduction in underemployment.
"When we came to government, the unemployment rate was 6.8 per cent … we have created 43,000 jobs since coming to government, so we're happy to put our credentials against Labor any day of the week," he said.
Mr Marshall said he expected the numbers to keep rebounding in March.
"Don't forget these statistics come in the first two weeks of February when we still had significant restrictions.
"I'm predicting a very significant further increase in employment when data comes out in March."
Labor releases its costings
Labor presented its highly anticipated policy costings on Thursday, explaining how it plans to pay for $3.1 billion in election promises.
Shadow treasurer Stephen Mullighan said half that money will come from $1.5 billion of the "$2 billion in uncommitted capital reserves held in the budget".
Then, Labor will scrap the state government's proposed $662 million Riverbank Arena.
Next, Labor says it will save $713 million over four years by imposing a 1.7 per cent efficiency target on government departments and by sacking 50 government executives who earn over $150,000 per year.
Labor acknowledged this would increase state debt to $243 million and predicted a modest budget surplus of $88 million in 2022-23.
At an afternoon press conference, Treasurer Rob Lucas tore up Labor's policy costings and said they "weren't worth the money they're printed on".
Mr Lucas said Labor's claim that it could tap into $1.5 billion in "unallocated capital" was a "rookie error".
"The treasury advice provided to me last month was that … there's somewhere between $300 to $350 million available over the forward estimates for non-transport related projects," he said.
"So if you want money for a $600 million hydrogen plant or $1 billion of hospital projects, you won't find it there."
Mr Lucas said the distinction in funding pools was important because non-transport related projects had to be 100 per cent funded by the state government.
"If they're elected, the first thing treasury will say to them is, 'I'm sorry, but there isn't a lazy $2 billion lying around for a hydrogen plant or all these health projects, you're going to have to raise the money in some other way','" Mr Lucas said.
"The reality is … the only way their $3.1 billion in promises can be funded is through a massive increase in revenue, which is taxes, charges, levies, the removal of exemptions."
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2022-03-17 09:25:08Z
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