Key Takeaways:
- One Nation’s lead candidate for South Australia, Cory Bernardi, has taken aim at the "two-party duopoly" in the state.
- Pauline Hanson has issued a warning to Labor that her party would be "coming for your seats".
- Recent polling shows support for One Nation is at 26 per cent, outperforming the Coalition’s combined primary vote of less than 20 per cent.
- SA Liberal leader Ashton Hurn says she is "not taking any vote for granted".
- SA Premier Peter Malinauskas is not concerned about the growing support for One Nation, focusing instead on policy and delivering a vision for the future of the state.
Introduction to One Nation’s Lead Candidate
The One Nation party has announced its lead candidate for South Australia, Cory Bernardi, who has taken aim at the "two-party duopoly" in the state. Mr. Bernardi, a former federal Liberal senator, joined One Nation Party leader Pauline Hanson in Adelaide to make the announcement. He expressed his delight in returning to politics alongside Ms. Hanson, stating that their views are aligned, and they share a history as former Liberal Party members. Mr. Bernardi believes that One Nation will provide "the strongest voice of opposition" ahead of the state election, citing the need for a change from the current "social, economic, and cultural decline" managed by the two major parties.
Issues to be Addressed
Mr. Bernardi outlined several issues that he hopes to tackle, including removing government "red and green and black and blue tape", addressing the rising cost of living, and assessing state debt. He attributes the problems faced by the state to the decades-long "two-party duopoly" that has prioritized the survival of the parties over the betterment of the voters. Ms. Hanson described Mr. Bernardi’s joining as "a massive move" and warned Labor that One Nation is "coming for your seats". She also announced that the party would have every SA seat covered in the March 21 election.
South Australia’s Political Landscape
Kos Samaras, from RedBridge political consultancy firm, commented on recent polling that shows support for One Nation is at 26 per cent, outperforming the Coalition’s combined primary vote of less than 20 per cent. This makes One Nation the largest conservative party polling in the country, with a significant collapse of the former Coalition parties. SA Liberal leader Ashton Hurn stated that she is "not taking any vote for granted", while SA Premier Peter Malinauskas focused on policy, saying he is not concerned about the growing support for One Nation.
Reaction from Other Parties
SA Greens leader Robert Simms criticized Mr. Bernardi, describing him as not a political outsider, but rather a member of the political establishment with "more baggage than a 747". Mr. Simms questioned Mr. Bernardi’s ability to "shake up South Australian politics". Mr. Bernardi’s past includes being a Liberal senator in the federal parliament from 2006 until he resigned from the party in 2017 to form his own party, the Australian Conservatives, which dissolved two years later after attracting less than 1 per cent of the Senate vote at the 2019 federal election.
Upper House System and Election Prospects
Under South Australia’s upper house system, One Nation will need to attract slightly more than 8 per cent of the vote, either through first preference ballots or preferences, to get Mr. Bernardi elected. The upcoming state election is expected to be closely contested, with One Nation’s growing support posing a challenge to the major parties. As the election approaches, it remains to be seen how the political landscape in South Australia will evolve and whether One Nation can capitalize on its current momentum to gain seats in the upper house.
