Chelsey Potter eyes Vickie Chapman’s seat of Bragg

Former Liberal staffer Chelsey Potter – who spoke out about her alleged sexual assault – is considering putting her hand up for Vickie Chapman’s seat of Bragg.

Former Liberal staffer Chelsey Potter is considering putting her hand up for retiring former deputy premier Vickie Chapman’s seat of Bragg,

Ms Potter, who helped with the campaign of federal independent candidate for Grey Liz Habermann, will put her hand up if no other woman has nominated by 5pm Wednesday.

She said on Wednesday she was trying to get the required number of signatures to put her name forward, but had yet to secure the minimum four names of support.

She declined to comment further.

Ms Potter has been an outspoken critic of the party, especially with its interactions, and dealings, with women.

Chelsey Potter is considering putting her hand up for Vickie Chapman’s seat of Bragg. Picture: Facebook

In 2019, the Adelaide woman spoke out about the sexual assault she had allegedly suffered at the hands of a senior Liberal staffer, and was seen as a “troublemaker”. But in February she told the Advertiser she felt “validated” as she sat in federal parliament, watching the then Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologise for the toxic culture that was allowed to fester in Parliament House

It comes as a surging Green vote in Adelaide’s affluent inner suburbs triggered a declaration the party can snare an upset victory in the by-election to replace Ms Chapman.

The state’s largest swing to the Greens at Saturday’s federal election of almost 5 per cent helped push Liberal James Stevens to the brink of defeat in his eastern Adelaide seat of Sturt.

The swing to the Greens was fuelled by booths in the seat’s southern end, which included about 6.5 per cent in Beaumont, 7 per cent in Burnside, 8 per cent in Glenunga and 10 per cent in Rose Park.

These suburbs also are in Ms Chapman’s state seat of Bragg, where a by-election is likely to be held in late June or early July after she quits parliament on May 31.

The Greens and One Nation both garnered primary vote swings of more than 3 per cent in SA at Saturday’s federal poll.

Greens state co-leader Robert Simms

Greens state co-leader Robert Simms said the party hoped to capitalise on concern about the climate and environment, along with major parties’ backing of a “planning system that has put the interests of big developers above the interests of the community”.

“Off the back of record swings to the Greens in the state and federal elections, we are excited about our prospects in Bragg. This is a seat that we can win,” he said.

Mr Stevens, who is likely to retain his seat with a slender margin, said the Bragg by-election was “an opportunity for the state Liberal Party to show a new, fresh approach and message”.

Sturt MP James Stevens at his election-night party at the Robin Hood Hotel. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

A senior Labor strategist said the party would run a candidate in Bragg.

The largest support for One Nation was in the northern Adelaide seat of Spence, where candidate Linda Champion (who shares a surname with the previous Labor member Nick Champion) achieved 10.8 per cent of the vote in the new electorate.

One Nation voter James Tsoumbris outside his Evanston Gardens house. Picture: Tom Huntley

This included booth results of more than 12 per cent in Davoren Park, almost 10 per cent in Elizabeth and Evanston Gardens, almost 15 per cent in Munno Para and eight per cent in Salisbury.

One Nation voter James Tsoumbris, a former Coke employee who lives at Evanston Gardens, said he had been stung by the dwindling manufacturing industry and did not trust either major party. The production worker said he was inspired by One Nation because the average “Aussie battler’s” voice was not being heard by the major parties.