Liberal Tom Venning is poised to win Grey adding a new chapter to his family’s SA political dynasty

With a Canberra seat looming, a blue-ribbon SA Liberal farming family is awaiting the outcome of their latest federal hope.

Tom Venning – Liberal for Grey

After a tense week of vote counting, the only Liberal MP “who can drive a B-double” truck is expected to win the formerly “safe” seat of Grey encompassing the struggling Whyalla steelworks.

Fifth-generation farmer and transformation consultant Tom Venning, 31, has dug deep into his blue-ribbon Liberal heritage to fend off eight candidates tussling over the once-safe rural seat that covers more land than New South Wales.

As preferences are scrutinised, Mr Venning is looking increasingly likely to beat his main rivals – Labor’s Karin Bolton, a Whyalla social worker, and local education provider chief executive and Independent Anita Kuss.

Tom Venning and his partner Bonnie Wauchope. Picture: Facebook

With a Canberra seat looming, Mr Venning said the ailing Whyalla steelworks and mine that is currently in receivership and backed by a $2.4bn government bailout package was front of mind.

He said there was “still a cloud” over Whyalla and steelworks administrator KordaMentha must make a sound choice on its new owner after it last backed failed GFG Alliance.

There also was severe drought affecting the region that needed attention – including at his own family grain farm in Bute where he returned about a year ago with partner Bonnie Wauchope.

Before that Mr Venning, who was preselected last September, studied economics and mechanical engineering at the University of Adelaide and worked mainly in Melbourne consulting for NAB, Deloitte and Accenture.

Mr Venning has politics in his blood. His uncle Ivan Venning held the state seat of Schubert for 17 years, his grandfather Howard Venning was a state MP for 11 years while his father Max Venning has been long active in agricultural politics.

“I’ve always been around politics but I’m probably most influenced by my father Max Venning … he was deputy chair of ABB Grain and went on to the Canadian grain board (Viterra),” he said.

Mr Venning admits it’s been a hard slog driving more than 85,000 kilometres in his Holden Colorado ute across one of the country’s largest electorates to make his pitch to voters.

“My framework was to visit every community or town that has either a cafe or a pub,” Mr Venning said.

Liberal state opposition leader Vincent Tarzia, (Left) Liberal candidate for Grey Tom Venning and former federal Liberal Foreign Affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham. Picture: X

He managed a public meeting in most but admits to skipping a few small towns in the winery, pub and cafe cluster of Clare Valley and not making it all the way to Oodnadatta in the far north and Cockburn on the NSW border.

Liberal Rohan Ramsey decided against standing in the federal election after holding the seat of Grey since 2007 most recently with a 10.1 per cent margin.

The vast electorate stretches across 908,595 sqkm – from Ceduna on the Eyre Peninsula to Yorke Peninsula, Coober Pedy in the north, Jamestown and Eudunda in the mid north, the Clare Valley and just south of Two Wells about 40kms outside Adelaide.

Liberal Party state president Alex Hyde said Mr Venning has “never missed a harvest” on the family property in Bute while studying and working in Adelaide and Melbourne.

“Tom will bring fresh blood into the Liberal Party,” Mr Hyde said.

“He has a fresh perspective, energy to fight for the interests of rural and regional South Australians but also a level of intellect that means he will be able to tackle the very complex problems our society faces.

“He’s also our only candidate or MP who can drive a B Double.”

Senate counting is also still continuing with Labor’s Charlotte Walker, who is only 21 years old, likely to win a SA seat.