Independent Kavel MP Dan Cregan endorses Mount Barker Football Club president Matt Schultz as 2026 state election candidate

Independent MP Dan Cregan, who quit state Labor’s ministry, has backed a candidate to replace him.

Mount Barker Football Club president Matt Schultz, whose home ground hosted matches during the first two AFL Gather Rounds, will stand as an independent in Mr Cregan’s seat of Kavel.

Outgoing independent Dan Cregan is backing a prominent football club president to replace him in his Adelaide Hills stronghold, in a joint endorsement with influential federal MP Rebekha Sharkie.

Mount Barker Football Club president Matt Schultz, whose home ground hosted matches during the first two AFL Gather Rounds, will stand as an independent in Mr Cregan’s seat of Kavel.

The former police minister and speaker, who The Advertiser exclusively revealed on Monday would immediately quit cabinet and retire at the 2026 state election, has made Kavel the state’s safest seat, with a margin of more than 25 per cent.

Ms Sharkie, a close ally of Mr Cregan’s, comfortably holds the former blue-ribbon Liberal seat of Mayo, centred on the Hills.

Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie and outgoing Kavel MP Dan Cregan at the AFL Gather Round match between West Coast and Sydney at Mount Barker on April 6, 2024. Picture Dean Martin

Mr Schultz, also Flinders University’s director of international recruitment, signalled he wanted to continue Mr Cregan’s push for Hills infrastructure, saying his priorities included a new public high school, Woodside intersection upgrade, Lobethal road resurfacing and restoring passenger rail services.

“I’m committed to being a strong independent voice for Kavel and continuing Dan’s legacy of grassroots activism to deliver the projects we need for a rapidly growing Hills population,” Mr Schultz said.

Matt Schultz, independent candidate for Kavel

Mr Cregan said Mr Schultz had worked closely with him to deliver “some of the most important local infrastructure and services projects” – including the regional sports hub where the football club is based.

“He has encouraged hundreds of local students, including women, to give football a try for the first time. He is also, often, the link in our community between many school leavers and higher education, especially kids who are the first in their family to go to TAFE or Uni,” Mr Cregan said.

Mr Cregan’s resignation from the ministry triggered a reshuffle by Premier Peter Malinauskas, in which Treasurer Stephen Mullighan on Wednesday was anointed as Police Minister and Emily Bourke entered cabinet.

Mount Barker Football Club players Emma Faber-Paul, Jordan Houlahan, Jardel Barker, Taya Rogers, club president Matt Schultz, senior coach Daniel Lackenby and player Samuel Callins at the football ground in Mount Barker on April 6, 2023. Picture: Morgan Sette

Ms Sharkie said: “Matt is well known in the Hills for his passion for grassroots sports and community clubs. He genuinely cares about people and has welcomed many families in our community into the Hills sporting and community life.”