Nick McBride’s resignation from the Liberals is a damaging blow for a party trying to rebuild | Kathryn Bermingham
With another seat down, it’s difficult to plot a path back to power for the SA Liberals, writes Kathryn Bermingham.
Opinion
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The resignation of South East MP Nick McBride from the Liberals is a damaging blow for a party that has spent the past 16 months pushing a message of renewal.
In the weeks after the Liberals’ crushing defeat at the March 2022 election, incoming leader David Speirs promised a fresh start.
He’s been upfront about issues faced by the party, including management of the competing factions, and at times critical of the previous Liberal government.
But he’s been careful to distinguish the past from the future, and vowed to lead a united and re-energised party that is focused on winning back government in 2026.
The departure of Mr McBride – while not unexpected – undermines that effort. In an interview with The Advertiser, the renegade MacKillop MP argues the party has not learned the lessons of the 2022 election.
“I can tell you a while we are factional and while we are divisive we are unelectable, it’s further away from us than ever before,’’ he said.
Long-term talk of his departure ramped up recently when his wife Katherine McBride lost a preselection against federal Barker MP Tony Pasin, which he said had caused a backlash from some in the party.
He said he had also felt increasingly isolated and had “no doubt” he would face a challenge to his preselection if he remained a Liberal MP.
There’s a lot left to play out before the 2026 election, but as things stand Mr McBride would have a good chance of holding onto MacKillop as an independent.
His new crossbench colleagues Troy Bell and Fraser Ellis as well as Speaker Dan Cregan have all enjoyed success after parting ways with the Liberals.
Mr McBride will have the coming three years to cement his new position.
In that time he’ll have an opportunity to show his community – once a blue-ribbon seat – the benefit of an independent local member in what he’s described as a seat currently “forgotten”.
Labor could help things along by funding a couple of projects in the area to ensure the seat stays out of Liberal hands.
Another seat down, it’s difficult to plot the path back to government for the Liberals.
Mr McBride’s departure leaves them with 15 of 47 lower house seats.
If former Premier Steven Marshall resigns from parliament and the party loses his seat of Dunstan, currently sitting on a margin of 0.5 per cent, that number will dip to 14, which is 10 short of the 24 needed to form majority government.
The Liberals have also now lost the whole of the South East, and another crucial country seat as it attempts to repair its standing among regional voters.
There will be some Liberals celebrating the departure of Mr McBride, who has in the past spoken candidly about his gripes with the party.
But for those serious about the rebuild, the loss of yet another seat should be of great concern.
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