One of the state's most experienced political campaigners says many South Australians will relish the prospect of a chaotic parliament after the next election.

Retiring Labor MP Michael Atkinson said it would be one of the likely consequences if next weekend's state election returns an influx of independent MPs.

"I heard Christopher Pyne [Federal Liberal MP] saying, 'oh, don't vote for Nick Xenophon, you'll be voting for chaos'," he said.

"What I don't think Christopher Pyne understands is that there'd be many South Australians who'd be happy to see a mushroom cloud rising over Parliament House on North Terrace.

"I think after 25 years of stable and modestly successful governments people are bored and would like to see politics as a form of entertainment."

Last week Newspoll put Nick Xenophon's SA Best Party's first preference vote at 21 per cent, down from 32 per cent, prompting claims of a freefall.

Mr Atkinson said that was a state-wide result reflecting all 47 seats, while SA Best is only contesting 36 seats.

Michael Atkinson thinks many people would be "happy to see a mushroom cloud" rising over Parliament. ( ABC News: Simon Royal )

"If he gets 21 per cent state-wide … that means he is well in the race to win some house of assembly seats," he said.

"I think he can win five or six House of Assembly seats and hold the balance of power."

But there was one important caveat Mr Atkinson added to that assessment: the newly minted SA Best MPs will be leaderless, adding to the "entertainment" value.

"I don't think Nick Xenophon will win the seat of Hartley, I think Vincent Tarzia [incumbent Liberal MP] starts favourite," he said.

"I mean there's still a possibility that Nick Xenophon could win, but I don't think so on balance."

SA Best will be independents 'without party discipline'

SA Best's constitution guarantees Mr Xenophon's position as party convenor irrespective of whether he is in parliament or not.

But leading a group of parliamentarians when you are outside parliament presents major problems.

"I think there are real difficulties leading a group of people from outside … I think within a few weeks or months they will be operating as independents without party discipline and they probably won't be a bloc," Mr Atkinson said.

A former attorney-general and speaker, Mr Atkinson is renowned for his forensic attention to voter details — even down to the voting history of individual booths over the years.

He is also partial to the odd historical flourish.

SA's situation reminds Mr Atkinson of when King Louis Phillipe declared "France is bored!" ( Supplied )

"It could be a chamber of independents. We will be back to pre-1890s South Australia where we didn't have a party system and where the government changed several times between elections without reference to the people," he said.

"I think there is a very strong possibility that you will have a government that will fall and will change several times [before the 2022 election]."

Returning to his theme that South Australians may welcome a bit of chaos, Mr Atkinson said he was reminded of a little-remembered French King.

"I think South Australia's situation is a bit like France's in 1848," he said.

"When King Louis Phillipe heard that there was a revolution afoot, he remarked to his guardsmen, 'France is bored'."

Whether South Australians want to embrace that much excitement will become clear when the votes are counted next Saturday.