Liberal frontbencher Matt Cowdrey to retire from politics at next year’s SA state election

Another SA Liberal has turned their back on politics, issuing a parting shot that politics “shouldn’t be about sledging”.

Paralympic champion swimmer and Liberal frontbencher Matt Cowdrey will quit at next March’s state election, issuing a parting shot that politics “shouldn’t be about sledging”.

In the aftermath of a disastrous poll showing the Liberals heading for a near-wipeout election loss, Mr Cowdrey is declaring he wants to “move on from partisan politics”.

Australia’s most decorated Paralympian, with 23 medals including 13 golds, he said he would initially focus on helping lead Australia’s Commonwealth Games team to Glasgow in mid-2026.

Liberal MP Matt Cowdrey is quitting politics at next year’s state election. Picture: Supplied

Mr Cowdrey, who has held the western suburbs seat of Colton since 2018, issued a statement that did not mention the Liberals’ turmoil since the 2022 state election landslide loss.

He said he had decided earlier this year to leave politics but waited to announce this until after the June 5 state budget and Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia’s June 17 response.

“During the course of this year I have come to the realisation that it is time to move on from partisan politics, to make a fresh start, and find new ways to contribute,” Mr Cowdrey said.

“ … I leave believing that I made an impact, hopefully not just with physical infrastructure but also with the way I went about the job. Serving your community in parliament shouldn’t be about sledging, but about contributing.”

The Liberal frontbencher on his feet during question time in SA parliament last year. Picture: NewsWire/Roy VanDerVegt

Mr Cowdrey rose to shadow treasurer under David Speirs’ Liberal leadership but was shunted after Mr Tarzia’s takeover to portfolios including sport, training and skills.

He was announced in May as deputy chef de mission for the Australian Commonwealth Games team to Glasgow, from July 23 to August 2 next year.

“I entered politics as an outsider, who was passionate about making a difference, improving the outlook of our state, delivering improvements and supporting our local neighbourhood. I hope my community knows I did this to the best of my ability every day,” Mr Cowdrey said.

Former premier Steven Marshall with then-Liberal MPs Carolyn Habib (right), Paula Luethen (left), Richard Harvey (top left) and Matt Cowdrey after the 2018 state election. Picture: AAP/Tracey Nearmy

Mr Cowdrey, 36, won Colton with a two-party preferred vote of 54.8 per cent at the 2022 state election but Labor challenger Aria Bolkus would easily snare the seat if results were repeated of a YouGov poll published by The Advertiser on June 21.

This showed Labor holding a record 67 per cent to 33 per cent lead in two-party preferred stakes.

If repeated at the March 21 state election, the Liberals would hold only the electorates of Chaffey and Flinders – in the Riverland and Eyre Peninsula respectively – in the 47-seat lower house.

Cowdrey after breaking another world record in the multi disability 50m freestyle event during the 2008 Telstra Australian Swimming Championships in Sydney.

Mr Cowdrey had an 11-year para-swimming career, winning his first gold medal, aged 15, at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.

Retiring aged 26, he held five world records, five Paralympic records and nine short- course world records.

Originally published as Liberal frontbencher Matt Cowdrey to retire from politics at next year’s SA state election