Local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo has been re-elected for a fifth term as the Member for Light on the back of a huge wave of support across the state for Labor and new Premier Peter Malinauskas.

Based on counting results as of yesterday Mr Piccolo was re-elected with a swing of 12% leading to a 70-30 two party preferred result.

Mr Piccolo said he was humbled by the honour bestowed upon him by the local community to represent them for another four years in State Parliament.

“I would like to thank the people of Light for continuing to support me.”

“I could not have achieved this wonderful result without the ongoing support of my family, friends, staff and volunteers.”

“I am eternally grateful to the voters and my supporters for this privilege to serve them.”

“While I believed that our leader Peter Malinauskas had done a fantastic job in communicating a plan for the future for our state, the overall result did pleasantly surprise me,” said Mr Piccolo.

“While I am very pleased by the result in Light, I am excited by the fact we have been elected to government as it gives me the opportunity to deliver on the commitments I have made during the campaign.”

“I look forward to working with the community to ensure everything we do in government will improve the wellbeing of the local community.”

“Health, ambulance ramping, the delays to the train electrification project were all key issues in the local community and are reflected in the result in the local ballot.”

Mr Piccolo won every booth in the electorate on the primary vote which suggests he was able to reach all demographic groups in the community.

Initial results indicate Mr Piccolo increased his primary vote by about 6% across the electorate, and 12% on a 2-party preferred basis, which is the best result Labor has ever achieved in Light.

Mr Piccolo said he felt for his Liberal candidate Mr Andrew Williamson who was preselected as their candidate very late in the piece, making it very difficult for him to mount a strong campaign.

“I only met Andrew a few weeks ago and he seems like a very nice person, but it appears he did not receive a lot of support from the Liberal Party,” said Mr Piccolo.

“In the end Labor was able to demonstrate it had the right priorities for the future of South Australia.”

“Clearly people felt that improving health infrastructure was more important than a new basketball stadium.”

“While the result in Light is very pleasing it also brings with it greater responsibility.”

“I hope I can make my community proud.”

Mr Piccolo was able to secure more than $12m of commitments for local projects plus an additional ambulance vehicle and 24/7 ambulance crew, an upgraded ambulance station at Gawler, and an additional 16 beds at the Gawler Health Service.

A new SES station is set to be established at Willaston and a new garage to provide more support for veterans suffering PTSD is planned to be co-located with the Willo’s Mens Shed, more car parking will reduce traffic congestion at Mark Oliphant College, and a proper government managed feasibility study into a tourist train from Gawler to the Barossa. Projects include:

• $4.8m for 10 new Netball Courts

• $2.5m carpark and kiss & drop at Mark Oliphant College

• $2m SES station at Willaston

• $1m new synthetic soccer pitch at Karbeethan Reserve

• $680,000 to make Redbanks Road Roundabout safer

• $600,000 new playground for Reid

• $530,000 a new carpark, lighting and shelter at Tambelin Railway Station

• $250,000 Veterans Garage at Willaston

• $81,000 upgrade to Bacton Street Reserve at Evanston

• $60,000 for new disability play equipment at Apex Park

• $30,000 shelter for Nolan Street Reserve in Munno Para

• $15,000 upgrade to Gawler West play area at Brigalo/Britton Streets

• Barossa Tourist Train Feasibility Study

‍