ACT Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson said he takes heart from Saturday's election outcome in Tasmania and was hopeful the Liberal Party was about to form government in South Australia. Premier-elect Will Hodgman claimed an emphatic victory in the Tasmanian poll, after his party was swept to majority government with 14 seats in the 25-seat House of Assembly.
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South Australians face days of uncertainty over whether the Labor government or Liberal opposition will take power after a tight election.
Mr Hanson said long-term governments and power-sharing arrangements with the Greens could both have an effect on the political landscape in the ACT.
''Federally and across the states and territories, it is clear that the Liberals' message of strong economic management is resonating with Australians,'' Mr Hanson said.
''In both elections, but particularly Tasmania [where] the government was 16 years old, and I think voters do understand the need for change as governments do get old and arrogant.''
Labor will have been in government for 15 years in the ACT at the time of the next election, currently with the support of balance-of-power Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury.
''I certainly have a great deal of respect for both opposition leaders, or former opposition leader in the case of Will Hodgman,'' Mr Hanson said.
''I think the clear message is that oppositions need to demonstrate that they are a clear alternative and that they are unified and that they are capable of providing stable government. In my view, are doing that successfully to date.''
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Sunday that South Australian voters had clearly wanted a Liberal government.
He praised the state's Liberal leader Steven Marshall for the party winning almost 53 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.
Mr Hanson said he was hopeful the Liberal Party would form government with the support of the state's two independent MPs.
''It would be disappointing if because of a quirk of electoral boundaries that they are essentially robbed of a victory they deserve.''
On Friday, Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said her approach to the Council of Australian Governments would not change if she was the only state or territory ALP leader.
She said voters in Canberra were careful to chose who they wanted to represent them in the Legislative Assembly.
Mr Hanson said Ms Gallagher would be judged for giving Mr Rattenbury and the Greens ''everything they want''.
''So a party … that got about 10 per cent of the vote is getting their own way because Katy Gallagher and her Labor colleagues have proven themselves to be prepared to cave in [to them],'' he said.