SA Liberal Party embroiled in bitter factional war as conservatives on the march

South Australia’s Liberal party is embroiled in one of its most bitter factional wars that will trigger a seismic shift in its politics, insiders say.

South Australia’s Liberal Party is embroiled in one of its most bitter factional wars that will trigger a seismic shift in its politics, insiders say.

The Conservative arm claims to have lured more than 1000 new members in the past year after the party’s disastrous twin state and federal election losses.

The drive, described by senior party sources as a “bloodbath” and a “rampage”, has stacked almost a dozen state and federal electorate branches with right-wing officials in the past two months.

Insiders say the “coups”, led by firebrand Senator Alex Antic, will take factional control of governing bodies such as executive council – its main board – and key party decisions.

The rows have sparked widespread party anger after pleas from senior officials, including newly minted Opposition Leader David Speirs, for factional unity were ignored after decades of infighting.

“It’s an aggressive, scorched earth approach that could render us irrelevant to the broader electorate – I’m very concerned at what’s happening,” one senior source said.

Another added: “It will certainly make life harder when some on the right refuse to lay down arms. But the spoils of opposition are not that exciting to fight over.”

Senator Antic dismissed accusations he was trying to shore up his senate re-election campaign in 2025, but a return to core party values “not seen in decades”.

“Politics is a contest of ideas, it’s about values, not constantly sharpening the pencil for personal gain,” said Senator Antic, known for controversial right-wing views such as Covid-19 mandates.

“I’m working hard to support and promote those who share the party’s values for the betterment of the community.

“That doesn’t seem to be a concept familiar to some. Their approach didn’t work all that well on both election days this year did it?”

South Australian Senator Alex Antic arrives back in Adelaide in December 2021. Picture: Dean Martin

Senator Antic, who was last year embroiled in a Pentecostal church membership controversy, and supporters have won eight state branches and three federal colleges since mid-May.

Allies claim they have harnessed mounting anger to overthrow, or defeat, left-aligned presidents and senior delegates, including former MPs and candidates.

This included state seats Colton, in Adelaide’s west, held by former Paralympian Matt Cowdrey and Newland, in the northeast suburbs where MP Richard Harvey lost his bid to be local president.

Federal branches Makin, Kingston and Boothby have also fallen.

Boothby’s convention on Sunday installed Adelaide City Councillor Alex Hyde, a former adviser to former MP Nicolle Flint, as president but recent candidate Rachel Swift was overlooked for any position.

“As one can well imagine the draining of power and influence from the hard left is causing them to get desperate,” one senior source said.

“Antic is a once in a generation conservative warrior. He is our answer to (Sylvester Stallone’s Hollywood movie character) John Rambo.”

But others said his approach was “more about securing his senate preselection than driving policy change”.

“The conservative side of the party is broadly happy with David Speirs’ leadership and prefer him in the role more than anyone else at the moment,” one said.

“So this will keep them in check, they probably won’t do anything that Speirs isn’t comfortable with and he’ll moderate them.”

It is now likely conservatives will now hold an outright majority after the Liberal State Council annual general meeting, due in September.

This will mean it will choose a president, after incumbent Legh Davis steps down after two terms, four vice presidents and other senior office holders.

Former political adviser Alex May, whose partner is Sturt federal MP James Stevens, was recently appointed to a three-year term without a probation period but instead a six-month review period.

“She’ll do well,” one ally said.

Mr Davis, a retired stockbroker, declined to comment, as did Mr Speirs and Ms May.