South Australia’s new senator-to-be is Leah Blyth who will replace the retiring Simon Birmingham
The Liberal Party state president’s easy win to replace Simon Birmingham boosts the Liberals’ female credentials — SA now has three female and three male Lib senators — but opens factional wounds.
SA News
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Liberal Party state president Leah Blyth has been selected to fill Simon Birmingham’s vacant Senate seat.
The education executive and married mother of three children intends to “combine her executive experience, marketing skills and financial acumen to be an effective and passionate advocate for South Australia.”
She also says she is an advocate for a strong education system and for the protection of women’s rights.”
She was elected as state president last year after leading the women’s council.
Ms Blyth easily won the ballot of party members on Friday night with some 119 votes, defeating lawyer Sam Hooper (71) and Adelaide City Councillor Henry Davis (11) in one round of voting.
A joint sitting of both houses of state parliament at 12.30pm on Thursday will formally endorse Ms Blyth then she will be sworn in at the following sitting of federal parliament.
Mr Birmingham served in the Senate since 2007 and was last elected for a six-year term in 2022 — so would not have to contest this year’s election — but resigned last month after a distinguished career.
The selection will boost female representation in the Liberal Party — SA will now have three female and three male senators — but is another sign of the torrid internal battle for the party’s future.
Former senator Birmingham was a leading moderate while Ms Blyth is backed by conservative powerbroker Senator Alex Antic.
Senator Antic last year defeated former cabinet minister and moderate Anne Ruston in a preselection ballot to take the top spot on the party’s Senate ticket for the next election, with Senator Ruston relegated to the still-winnable number two spot.
Originally published as South Australia’s new senator-to-be is Leah Blyth who will replace the retiring Simon Birmingham
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