MacKillop MP Nick McBride faces Naracoorte court on wife assault charges amid calls quit politics

The independent MP accused of assaulting his wife has faced court in the South-East with a message for his constituents and his critics.

Country MP Nick McBride has broken his silence over allegations he assaulted his wife, but used his first court appearance as an opportunity to remind both constituents and critics that he’ll “continue to do his job”.

After remaining tight-lipped in the weeks leading up to his first appearance in the Naracoorte Magistrates Court, the MacKillop MP on Wednesday morning finally addressed calls for him to reconsider his political career in light of criminal charges laid against him.

In April, The Advertiser revealed the MacKillop MP, whose legal name is Philip Nicholas McBride, had been charged after attending the Norwood Police Station last month.

According to court documents, SA Police allege Mr McBride, 55, assaulted his wife on three occasions on April 10 this year at a property in Conmurra in the state’s South-East.

Those same documents list Mr McBride’s suburb of residence as Robe.

South Australian independent MP Nick McBride. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Katherine McBride, an experienced registered nurse, said she was “OK” at the time Mr McBride was charged, but did not want to elaborate.

In court on Wednesday morning, his lawyer Danni Stephens asked Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos to adjourn the matter until June so she could discuss the case with her client.

“My client is sitting in parliament at that time, so would it be possible to excuse him?” Ms Stephens asked.

“I prefer to have matters with defendants here,” Ms Kossiavelos said.

Ms Stephens told the court that the next hearing, however, would also likely be an adjournment prompting Ms Kossiavelos to allow Mr McBride to appear in that hearing via telephone.

The matter will return to court next month.

Outside court, the former Liberal turned Independent MP spoke to the media, addressing the growing calls for him to reconsider his political career.

“I just want to say that this is a matter before the courts,” he said. “It is not appropriate for me to make any other further comments while this process continues.

“I make it clear that the court process has no impact on my primary role, and that is, I am the member for MacKillop.

“My core focus is to represent and advocate for the people who live and work in this electorate and as my job, I will continue to do that.”

His comments come just a day after Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia said the MP should consider his political position in the wake of the David Speirs drug supply scandal.

“If he can’t devote his hundred per cent effort towards being the member for MacKillop, if I was him then I would resign from the parliament,” Mr Tarzia said.

“That’s what David Speirs did, and that’s what Nick McBride should certainly consider as well.”

Mr McBride was elected to parliament in 2018 running for the Liberal Party in the Limestone Coast seat of MacKillop.

However in 2023 he quit the party to sit as an independent, citing “dark forces” and “divisive factionalism” within the Liberals.

Originally published as MacKillop MP Nick McBride faces Naracoorte court on wife assault charges amid calls quit politics