Cory Bernardi’s fledgling Australian Conservatives party to merge with Family First
LIBERAL defector Cory Bernardi is to merge his Australian Conservatives movement with the Family First party today, bringing its MPs in the South Australian Parliament under his ideological banner.
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LIBERAL defector Cory Bernardi is to merge his Australian Conservatives movement with the Family First party today, bringing its MPs in the South Australian Parliament under his ideological banner.
But it is understood Lucy Gichuhi, who scored a Senate seat in place of Family First’s Bob Day, will not move to the Bernardi camp, instead arriving in Canberra as an independent.
The merger comes after Senator Bernardi, a former South Australian Liberal, flagged his intention last month to contest state and federal elections under his own banner.
Family First has two other MPs in the SA Upper House, former economist Dennis Hood and former Liberal minister Robert Brokenshire.
It is understood talks to formalise the union wound up on Saturday, with a joint announcement of the decision expected today.
Sky News commentator Paul Murray described it as a “political earthquake”.
Peta Credlin, who was chief of staff to former prime minister Tony Abbott, said the merger was “absolutely expected”.
It would give Mr Bernardi “the infrastructure he’ll need to be able to grow his brand”, she said.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said it was “inevitable”.
“When Bob Day exited the party, it was the case where the writing was on the wall,” Mr Dutton said.
A senior Family First source told The Advertiser a desire to bring together splintering sections of the conservative right of politics was a pivotal factor in the decision.
The seed was planted when former Family First staffer Rikki Lambert joined Mr Bernardi as his chief of staff in February. Mr Bernardi and Ms Gichuhi were last night unavailable for comment.
Mr Day was forced to give up his Senate seat after being ruled ineligible.
The court ruled that Mr Day’s links to the company that owned his Senate electorate office breached conflict-of-interest provisions under the Constitution.
Following a recount of ballot papers to choose Mr Day’s replacement Family First’s No 2 candidate, Ms Gichuhi, was confirmed as the new senator.
Ms Gichuhi, from Kenya, last week survived a High Court challenge by Labor to her eligibility and will be sworn in next month.
The decision will have serious ramifications for the expected March South Australian election, where Nick Xenophon’s Best party will now vie with Senator Bernardi’s team.
Family First founder Andrew Evans said he supported the merger of the two parties and that he would love Ms Gichuhi to be on board.
Originally published as Cory Bernardi’s fledgling Australian Conservatives party to merge with Family First
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