South Australian upper house member Sarah Game quits Pauline Hanson’s One Nation to stand as independent
A history-making One Nation MP is quitting the party because of insurmountable brand problems and to “advocate for all South Australians”.
State Election
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History-making One Nation member Sarah Game is quitting Pauline Hanson’s party, blaming insurmountable problems with “the way the One Nation brand is perceived” and declaring she wants to “advocate for all South Australians, regardless of their heritage or religious beliefs”.
In an open letter supplied exclusively to the Sunday Mail, Ms Game says she has tried to “evolve” the One Nation brand but has decided this is impossible.
Ms Game says a secondary reason for her decision to become an independent is recent One Nation decisions that she does not support, which have “further reduced my confidence that the party will change as it needs to”.
Asked by the Sunday Mail what these decisions were, Ms Game did not single any out but said: “I’ve made it clear, I will advocate for all South Australians regardless of their heritage or religious beliefs.
“It’s my view that not enough has been done to combat old stereotypes of the party in that regard, for example.”
Ms Game in 2022 became the first One Nation candidate elected to the South Australian parliament, in the upper house, and the first female One Nation parliamentarian other than party founder Pauline Hanson.
Her mother, Jennifer Game, had been the party’s lead upper house candidate but gave that spot up after the party decided she would instead contest a Senate position during the 2022 federal election, as she did again unsuccessfully at the May 3 poll.
Ms Sarah Game’s defection follows former Greens co-leader Tammy Franks on Tuesday declaring she would quit and become an independent.
In her open letter, Ms Sarah Game says she is proud of her advocacy and achievements, including tighter scrutiny on ministerial travel reports and funding for tackling male suicide and children’s diseases.
But she says there have been “missed opportunities” as a “result of the way the One Nation brand is perceived”.
“I have tried to evolve the brand, to the place that it needs to be, but I have come to the position that it is not possible and is limiting my ability to advocate for the people of South Australia,” Ms Game says.
“ … With nearly five years left in my (Legislative Council) term, I need to be practical if I am to deliver for the people of South Australia.”
Ms Game says she appreciates there “are people who still align with One Nation” but “it is my view that most of my constituency do not”.
“I will continue to represent both groups. I will represent all South Australians, regardless of where they come from or their religious beliefs,” she says.
One Nation had been hopeful of snaring an SA Senate spot for Ms Jennifer Game at the May 3 election but that was snared by Labor.
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