Cory Bernardi’s decision to quit Liberals will have ‘big impact’ on next South Australian election
LIBERAL defector Cory Bernardi has revealed he has no plans to run candidates at next year’s state election, but Nick Xenophon says the Senator’s new Australian Conservative Party will still have a huge impact on the South Australian poll.
- THE REACTION: Furious Libs blast Bernardi’s move
- THE DECISION: Reluctant and relieved, Bernardi quits Libs
- ANALYSIS: Cory’s real aim: ‘Make myself redundant’
- ANALYSIS: Turnbull needs to pay attention now
- EXPERT: Defection will ‘cost him his career’
- IN-DEPTH: Life of a renegade Senator
LIBERAL defector Cory Bernardi has no plans to run Australian Conservative candidates at next year’s state election, a scenario fellow SA Senator Nick Xenophon said was “inconceivable” as he predicted the existence of a new political party to have a huge impact on the local vote.
Senator Bernardi formally quit the Liberal Party on Tuesday after months of speculation, sparking vocal disgust from his colleagues, and will now sit on a crowded crossbench.
With former senators Bob Day (Family First) and Rod Culleton (One Nation) still to be replaced, the Government needs nine of the 10 current crossbenchers to get legislation through, giving Senator Bernardi a powerful position.
Speculation about who might join the controversial Senator’s Australian Conservatives party has run rife.
Senator Bernardi insists he is running solo at this stage and has not talked to anyone about joining the party.
SA’s state election in March next year is not on the radar, he said.
“(Running candidates in SA) is just not something I’ve contemplated. I’m thinking about the things I have to deal with now rather than what-if scenarios,” Senator Bernardi said, adding he hadn’t even thought about people who might want to join him before the next election.
“It’s unfair to ask people to invest themselves in me given the risks attached to what I’m doing,” he said. “This is a really difficult path that I’ve chosen, so I haven’t put that pressure on anyone. I don’t want to put that pressure on anyone.”
Senator Xenophon, who controls a powerful three-person Senate bloc, said Senator Bernardi’s supporters would demand that he run and the state election was now thrown wide open.
“Until today, the 2018 state election was for the Liberals to lose,” Senator Xenophon said.
“From now on, it’s for anyone to win. “I find it hard to believe (Senator Bernardi) won’t be running candidates at the state election. But even if he doesn’t, it does fracture the Liberal Party’s voice. It will change the dynamics of the SA election.”
Senior ministers on Tuesday lined up to condemn Senator Bernardi. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and SA MP and Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne were among those who called for him to quit the Senate, as well as the party.
Others criticised Senator Bernardi for not turning up to the Coalition party room meeting to explain himself. Many expressed disappointment, saying he should have continued to fight for his values inside the party.
At a press conference, Senator Bernardi said he felt he had to leave because of the “growing disconnect between what happens in the Canberra bubble and what happens in the everyday lives of so many Australians”.
Asked why he hadn’t quit before winning another six-year term as a branded Liberal, Senator Bernardi he said the “serious problem” of conservatives leaving the party to support others left him feeling beholden to provide a “principled, credible and stable alternative”.
He said the “revolving door” of prime ministers was “foolish” and pointed to the Government’s brief flirtation with the idea of an emissions intensity scheme as another reason he had to leave.
Senator Bernardi repeatedly emphasised that none of his policy positions have changed, and claimed the Liberal Party was no longer living up to its promises. Now, instead of crossing the floor when he disagrees with them, he will vote as an independent.
The Advertiser asked him what that meant for SA, which is putting pressure on the Federal Government to do more to help struggling companies including steelmakers Arrium and car part manufacturers. He made it clear that he was not in favour of further subsidies.
“We have a moribund industry … we have to stimulate it, we have to reduce the cost of living,” Senator Bernardi said. “What we need to do is make it attractive for businesses to come and develop jobs.”
He said a recent experience in the US showed him that reducing red tape was one of the best things governments could do to entice investment, on top of lowering taxes.
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart said speculation she would fund his venture was wrong. Senator Bernardi said he would rely on donations from other supporters.