Electoral district of Badcoe

Electoral district of Badcoe. The Electoral district of Badcoe is a single-member electoral district for the South Australian House of Assembly. It was created in the 2018 redistribution and was first contested at the 2018 South Australian state election. The district is named in honour of Vivienne "Viv" Badcoe, a community activist and volunteer from the Ashford area, and is classified as a metropolitan seat located in the inner-southern suburbs of Adelaide.

History

The district was established as part of a significant boundary overhaul by the South Australian Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission, which aimed to address population malapportionment across the state. Its creation was influenced by population growth in the inner-south and the abolition of the former seat of Ashford. The inaugural 2018 contest saw Jayne Stinson of the Australian Labor Party win the seat, succeeding the retiring Stephanie Key who had represented the Ashford area. Historically, the area encompassing Badcoe has been a traditional stronghold for the Labor Party, with support from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and other affiliated trade unions. The seat has also been influenced by local issues such as the redevelopment of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute precinct and transport projects like the South Road upgrade.

Members for Badcoe

Since its creation, Badcoe has been represented by one member. Jayne Stinson of the Australian Labor Party was elected at the 2018 South Australian state election and re-elected at the 2022 South Australian state election. Prior to her election, Stinson worked as a journalist for the Adelaide Advertiser and served as a political adviser. The seat has not yet experienced a change in party representation since its inception.

Election results

At the 2018 South Australian state election, Jayne Stinson won the seat with a primary vote of approximately 48 percent, achieving a two-party-preferred margin of about 55 percent against the Liberal Party candidate. The 2022 South Australian state election saw Stinson increase her margin, securing a two-party-preferred result of around 60 percent, reflecting a swing towards the Labor Party amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the leadership of Peter Malinauskas. Key competitors have included candidates from the Liberal Party, the Greens, and independents focusing on local issues in suburbs like Plympton and Glandore.

Demographics

The electorate encompasses the inner-southern Adelaide suburbs including Ashford, Plympton, Glandore, Keswick, and parts of Netherby. The population is socio-economically diverse, featuring a mix of established residential areas, light industrial zones, and major institutions like the Repatriation General Hospital and Flinders University. Demographic data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates a higher-than-state-average proportion of residents born in the United Kingdom and Italy, alongside a growing cohort of professionals and students associated with nearby University of Adelaide and University of South Australia campuses.

Boundaries

The boundaries of Badcoe are defined by the South Australian Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission and are reviewed after each election. The district is bounded by major roads including Anzac Highway, South Road, and Cross Road, and includes the suburbs south of the Adelaide Park Lands and north of Edwardstown. It shares borders with the electoral districts of Dunstan to the north, Elder to the south, and Waite to the east. The 2020 redistribution made minor adjustments to its western boundary with the Morphett electorate.