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Blow for Xenophon in ballot paper draw

Nick Xenophon has been left in last spot on the ballot paper for the seat he's contesting at South Australia's March state election.

SA Best leader Nick Xenophon
Nick Xenophon's SA-BEST party is expected to run in 36 seats at the South Australian election. (AAP)

Nick Xenophon has been dealt a blow ahead of South Australia's March election, drawing last spot on the ticket for his suburban Adelaide seat.

At the draw on Monday, the SA-BEST leader was placed in seventh spot on the ballot paper for Hartley.

It left the former senator hoping to snare the "reverse donkey vote" but not overly concerned by the result.

"The voters of Hartley are very discerning and I reckon they'll be able to find me pretty easily on the ballot paper," Mr Xenophon said.

Independent candidate Marijka Ryan won the number one spot for Hartley with Labor's Grace Portolesi in third and sitting Liberal MP Vincent Tarzia in fifth.

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Mr Xenophon's SA-BEST party is running in 36 of the 47 lower-house seats at the March 17 election with a view to securing the balance of power.

"I think 36 is enough. We are fighting a David versus two Goliaths battle and running is 36 seats is stretching us to the limit," he said.

"But we're going to do our best."

In other draws, both Labor Premier Jay Weatherill and Liberal Leader Steven Marshall were named on the top of the ticket in their respective seats.

On the campaign trail on Monday, Mr Weatherill committed a returned Labor government to build another tram extension to North Adelaide, with the $259 million project to support 133 construction jobs and be completed in just over two years.

"This is a vision for a smart city. A city which moves people around in an effective way and that attracts people to it," Mr Weatherill said.

Mr Marshall pledged a Liberal government to spend $60 million establishing an international culinary school on the site of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The centre would move Adelaide's Le Cordon Bleu campus and other TAFE hospitality programs offered in the northern suburbs into one school of excellence.

"We want this new site to be a beacon for international students and a great employer for South Australians," Mr Marshall said.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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