Rebekha Sharkie likely to stick by Scott Morrison in event of hung parliament

The independent Adelaide MP says it would be a misuse of her power to unseat a sitting government — but she has ‘a shopping list’ of demands.

Rebekha Sharkie pictured on Kangaroo Island. Picture: Sean McGowan / The Australian

Popular Adelaide Hills MP Rebekha Sharkie has indicated she is likely to stick by the Morrison government in the event of a hung parliament, saying her seat of Mayo has historically been a Liberal seat.

Ms Sharkie also said that as a sole independent — and one whose support is so strong she will definitely be re-elected — she thought it could be a misuse of her power to unseat a sitting government.

With the Morrison government under siege from Labor-leaning independents, Ms Sharkie’s comments will come as a huge relief for the Coalition as the polls all point to a fair prospect of a hung parliament.

The seat of Mayo was held by former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer for the life of the Howard government but Ms Sharkie won it from her former boss Liberal MP Jamie Briggs at the 2016 election.

She has since turned it into a safe 5.2 per cent seat and is expected to increase her margin at this election with Labor running dead and the Liberals mounting a low-profile campaign as they focus all their efforts in SA on holding Boothby and Sturt.

While not guaranteeing support for the Liberals, Ms Sharkie made it clear she could see no real likelihood of supporting Labor and would give the Morrison government a very favourable first right of refusal on her key demands.

Sharkie said she wanted the government to address were the creation of a federal ICAC, better protections for the River Murray and the housing affordability crisis

She said the three issues she wanted the government to address were the creation of a federal ICAC, better protections for the River Murray and the housing affordability crisis.

“I recognise that I have a seat that has always been a safe Liberal seat,” she told The Australian. “I have worked hard to build good relationships with the government.”

“I think that my community would expect me to naturally got to the government first. I will have a pretty long shopping list, starting with a federal ICAC and the river (and) housing.

“But I think my community would expect that. We have never been a Labor seat, I think I have demonstrated to my community that I have been a safe pair of hands to work with the government.”

In a broader message to other independents, Ms Sharkie said anyone who found themselves in a balance of power role should reflect on the gravity of their position.

“If it is a very close election is it the job of one person to change the government?” she asked. “I would say no to that.”

However, Ms Sharkie said the government would be mistaken to write her down as a supporter in the absence of action on the policy issues she has raised.

“I have been bitterly disappointed that we have not seen a federal ICAC,” she said. “That was a promise at the last election. We don’t even have a code of conduct.”

Ms Sharkie said she was proud to have made the seat of Mayo so volatile after years of it being a Liberal stronghold and that it was her hope that all of SA’s 10 seats could become a contest.

“When you’re a safe seat you just don’t count,” she said. “I would like to see every seat a marginal seat in South Australia. Otherwise so many of the decisions are eastern states-centric.”