The 43rd Parliament was so toxic it has caused an “exhausted” and “disillusioned” electorate to tune out of politics almost altogether, admits Kate Ellis.

Yet the Member for Adelaide – one of former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s staunchest supporters throughout the blood-spattered convulsions of the Labor leadership struggle – wants to go around again.

Sitting in Cafe Komodo, a cosy nook off Prospect Road where she’s on first-name terms with the barista, Ellis is surprisingly frank about the Gillard government’s three years – indeed, the whole Labor experience in government.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that people have been really disillusioned by the amount of negativity, by how toxic the parliament has been, by a whole range of things over the last three years,” she says.

“When people become exhausted of the national debate, and exhausted of Canberra, and whether people are inspired by Tony Abbott or Kevin Rudd or whoever it is, I think this election much more people are focussing on our local community and our local area.”

Kate Ellis. Photos: Nat Rogers/InDaily

Parliament, and the tone and tenor of political debate, has taken a turn for the worse, Ellis tells InDaily. A lot of that is to be blamed upon the “unusual” hung parliament – even if, she says, it’s been very productive.

“Minority government is unusual for Australia. When the stakes are so high, if you’ve got one resignation, one heart attack, a change in the numbers and there’s potentially a change in government, it does mean that people play harder.

“What might have been a gentle dig is likely to be really exaggerated to a full blown accusation. It has been, I think, a really aggressive term of parliament and quite an ugly term of parliament. I think a lot of people have been really turned off by that.

“[Hung Parliament] does lead to compromise and negotiation. The Greens would probably say that’s a really great thing. But it’s hard when that’s not what we’re used to in Australia. People want to know that what they were promised before the election is exactly what they’re going to get afterwards.”

Ellis took Adelaide from the Liberals in 2004, and currently sits on a reasonably safe 7.5 per cent margin after an 0.8 per cent swing against her in the last election.

But according to Coalition internal polling –choose to believe it at your own risk – reported by The Advertiser, her seat is very much in play.

Her opponent, Carmen Garcia, rates herself as a very good chance to take the CBD-centred seat, and Ellis agrees that it’s going to be close – “but that’s what makes it so interesting”.

Kate Ellis. Photos: Nat Rogers/InDaily

In the nine years since she was first elected, Ellis has gone from being one of the youngest members of the ALP team to one of its more experienced members; she’s been a minister for six years now, currently holding the Employment Participation, Early Childhood, Childcare and Youth portfolios.

Born in Mannum in the State’s Murraylands, she currently lives in Goodwood, and is married to Sunday Mail editor David Penberthy. Some of News Corp’s election coverage has been “farcical”, she says, but “in South Australia we’ve been better served than some other parts of the country”.

“Some of the articles, some of the coverage has been farcical. I think the really sad thing is the people that are the most let down by that are the readers, who have been loyal to papers like the Daily Telegraph for decades. But I think that’s a great pity.”

She nominates the local farmers’ market as her favourite spot in the electorate, along with the Ghan Kebab House on Prospect Road – “where you can find me on many a Friday night”.

Like many running in the election, Ellis became politicised in her university days. While studying politics and international relations at Flinders (a degree she never quite finished), she was the president of the university’s students association, before heading into State Labor’s political machine. She worked as an adviser to Rory McEwen, then colourful former Treasurer Kevin Foley – of whom she’s clearly fond.

“Kevin is incredibly passionate, and prepared to be controversial at times to fight for what he believes in,” she tells me.

“I remember going to an art exhibition opening that Kevin was for some reason filling in for the Premier and opening. Kevin stood up and he said ‘you know me, I largely think the arts are a waste of money’.

“He was completely honest, but then he talked about what he really liked about what he saw. He was authentic.”

Kate Ellis. Photos: Nat Rogers/InDaily

Her work in the employment participation portfolio, and the childcare reforms that are currently underway, are her proudest personal legislative achievements. Overall, she says the National Disability Insurance Scheme is the party’s biggest contribution in government.

Even as it endured its own turmoil, Ellis claims Labor never lost a strong core sense of why it was in government – even if, perhaps, voters did.

“It’s always been about fairness, it’s always been about increasing opportunities, it’s always been about preparing for the challenges of the future. I’ve never doubted Labor values, or whether the government had Labor values.

“[But] there’s no doubt that we’ve had real troubles communicating a whole range of policy solutions and the rationale for them. Our communication hasn’t been as good as it should have been, there’s no doubt about that at all, but that’s probably for a whole range of different reasons.”