SA: Labor to contest any loss in key seat
ADELAIDE, Feb 13 AAP - The Labor Party has vowed to contest the result in a crucialseat in the South Australian election if it loses a narrow contest.
State party secretary Ian Hunter said the party was concerned about a number of aspectsof the count in Stuart, a rural seat where sitting Liberal MP Graham Gunn was today lessthan 100 votes ahead of his Labor opponent.
"Our party scrutineers have identified a number of serious concerns in the processof counting the ballot and over the security of completed and uncompleted ballot papers,"
Mr Hunter said.
"The result in Stuart is likely to be a cliffhanger and we believe that some apparentirregularities may have had the potential to benefit the sitting Liberal member and skewthe result.
"Some alleged conduct on the (election) day at polling places by Liberal supportershas also been a matter for concern."
Mr Hunter said Labor took all the issues seriously and he would meet legal counselas a matter of urgency to discuss preparation of a petition to the Court of Disputed Returns.
If Labor can win a narrow victory in Stuart or overturn the result it has a chanceof governing in its own right.
Without Stuart the party is likely to finish with 23 seats, one short of an absolutemajority, leaving the balance of power in the SA parliament and the decision on whichof the major parties forms government, in the hands of four independents.
AAP tjd/ldj/br
KEYWORD: POLLSA STUART
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