Liberal South Australian Senate preselection: Anne Ruston deposed by Alex Antic

Liberal frontbencher Anne Ruston has been deposed from the SA party’s top Senate spot by firebrand colleague Alex Antic.

Former federal cabinet minister Anne Ruston has been deposed from top spot on the Liberal Senate ticket by firebrand conservative rival Alex Antic, in a move opponents branded an insult to women.

An internal firestorm erupted after the Saturday ballot, which left two men and one woman in winnable positions on the party’s 2025 South Australian Senate election ticket.

Anne Ruston. Picture: Supplied

Rival conservatives and moderate factions sniped over the party’s “woman problem” worsening from the results.

“Today we’ve just left a whole lot of body parts on the floor, for nothing,” one Liberal said.

Moderates attacked Senator Antic for his pitch courting One Nation voters but conservatives argued the Liberals needed to win their votes or lose a Senate spot to them.

Senator Antic wrested top spot in the ballot but his ticket wanted political adviser Leah Blyth to secure third position.

However, this was won by Senator David Fawcett, who is seeking a fourth term, with Senator Ruston securing second spot.

Conservatives had been confident of Senator Antic deposing Senator Ruston, a moderate, but had expected the margin to be greater than the 108 votes to 98.

Senator Ruston, the manager of opposition business in the Senate, trounced Ms Blyth for second spot, 118 to 82, with Senator Fawcett winning just 10 votes in the second round.

But he defeated Ms Blyth by just three votes, 106 to 103, in the third round to snatch the third spot.

Labor Boothby MP Louise Miller-Frost attacked the Liberals for choosing Senator Antic over Senator Ruston, saying this “would be funny if it wasn’t so insulting to every woman in South Australia”.

Both Senator Antic and Senator Ruston declined to comment.

Originally published as Liberal South Australian Senate preselection: Anne Ruston deposed by Alex Antic