Table of Contents
After the South Australian election a few weeks ago, a curious outcome emerged: the ‘official opposition’ scored fewer votes than a ‘minor party’. Both parties share nearly identical seat counts – five to one, four to the other – but the vote count was very different: the opposition shed nearly half its already meagre vote, sinking to just 19 per cent of the primary vote. Meanwhile, the ‘minor party’ stormed from just a few per cent to nearly a quarter of the primary vote.
According to the South Australian parliament, the opposition is “the largest minority group or coalition of members in the House of Assembly who are not supporters of the government”.
Unsurprisingly, then, One Nation, the ‘minor party’, are wondering just why they’re not the official opposition.
Independent MPs say One Nation SA leader Cory Bernardi has been approaching them to make the case for his party – instead of the Liberals – to be recognised as the state’s official opposition.
Independents Geoff Brock, Matt Schultz and Lou Nicholson said they were contacted by Mr Bernardi ahead of the first sitting of the new parliament early next month.
While discussions with all three touched on One Nation’s future plans, the MPs said they were not directly asked to support the party in its bid to form opposition.
Brock is clear that he hasn’t been explicitly asked to form support for One Nation, let alone join them. He also emphasised that he’s in talks with Liberal leader Ashton Hurn and other independents. So, the usual post-election horse-trading.
Mr Brock sided with Labor to form a minority government in the 2014 state election, and later held cabinet positions as an independent under the Weatherill and Malinauskas ministries.
In April 2024, he resigned from his ministerial roles for health reasons.
Other independents are in the horse-trading, but playing harder to get.
Kavel MP Mr Schultz also confirmed to 891 ABC Adelaide that he was approached by Mr Bernardi outlining a plan to attempt to form opposition – but said he intended to remain independent.
“I’m a new independent member and won’t be a member of the opposition,” Mr Schultz told ABC News later on Monday.
“The question as to who will serve as the opposition is best put to One Nation and the Liberal Party.”
Ms Nicholson, the newly elected Finniss MP, said her focus was elsewhere.
“Mr Bernardi did call me last week and explain he considered there was a case for One Nation to be recognised as the formal opposition,” she said.
The fourth independent, Mount Gambier MP Travis Fatchen, has yet to make a public statement.
The Liberals, understandably enough, are putting on the toughest face they can.
Ms Hurn has previously rejected suggestions One Nation could lay claim to opposition status.
“The rules are the rules, and we are the formal opposition,” she said.
“South Australians have actually spoken, they’ve delivered us the second-most seats in the lower house and I’m excited about the task ahead.”
They also delivered more votes to One Nation. A lot more votes.
