Two closely watched elections this weekend have produced unexpectedly straightforward results. Despite high hopes, the Greens suffered a negative swing against a strong Labor candidate in the inner Melbourne seat of Batman, and in South Australia a longstanding Labor government was unseated by the Liberals, with support for Nick Xenophon’s SA-BEST falling well below early expectations. On the morning after, Peter Clarke talks to political scientist Rob Manwaring about what happened and why.
The elusive X-factor
Two political insurgencies — in Batman and in South Australia — failed to live up to expectations this weekend. Peter Clarke talks to political scientist Rob Manwaring about why
Peter Clarke & Rob Manwaring 18 March 2018 74 words
![](https://insidestory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/marshall.jpg)
Back to the future? Liberal leader Steven Marshall at the party’s election-night party. Tracey Nearmy/AAP Image
Share
Share
Share
Peter Clarke & Rob Manwaring
Peter Clarke is a Melbourne-based webcaster, writer and educator who tweets @MediaActive. Rob Manwaring is a senior lecturer in the School of Social and Policy Studies at Flinders University.
Topics: elections | politics | South Australia
Related Articles
![](https://insidestory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/mapou_backes_small-336x336.jpg)
![](https://insidestory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/harris_nieces_small-336x336.jpg)
![](https://insidestory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/trump_poster_small-336x336.jpg)
![](https://insidestory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/steal_small-336x336.jpg)