Former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi joins One Nation to lead South Australia’s upper house ticket in the March 21, 2026 election, aiming to challenge Labor and the two-party system in Adelaide.
One Nation’s Power Move: Bernardi Takes the Lead:
In a bombshell move shaking up South Australian politics, former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has defected to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, positioning himself as the party’s lead candidate for the Legislative Council in the March 21, 2026, state election. Announced on February 2, 2026, in Adelaide, this alliance aims to exploit voter frustration with the established parties, potentially siphoning conservative support from the Liberals and amplifying One Nation’s populist agenda. As Labor under Premier Peter Malinauskas enjoys a commanding lead, Bernardi’s return could ignite a fiercer contest, testing whether One Nation can emerge as a viable opposition force in a state grappling with cost-of-living pressures and governance critiques.
Bernardi’s Comeback: One Nation Names SA Lead:
The announcement unfolded on February 2, 2026, when Pauline Hanson unveiled Bernardi as One Nation’s top Legislative Council candidate during a press event in Adelaide. Supporters waved Australian flags as Hanson declared, “We welcome Cory to the team. He brings strength, experience, and the backbone needed to take the fight to a Labor government that is running this state into the ground.” Bernardi, addressing the media, lambasted the “two-party duopoly” and positioned One Nation as the “strongest voice of opposition,” promising policies to address debt, safety, and economic woes.
This follows Bernardi’s retirement from federal politics in 2020 after a 13-year Senate tenure. His defection echoes past shifts: in 2017, he quit the Liberals to form the Australian Conservatives, which dissolved in 2019 after failing to gain traction. One Nation, meanwhile, has been rebuilding in SA since Sarah Game’s 2022 upper house win-the party’s first in the state-before her defection to independent status in 2025.
The timeline accelerated in early 2026 amid One Nation’s national surge, with polls showing the party at 10-12% in SA. Bernardi’s recruitment, confirmed via party releases and media coverage, aligns with Hanson’s strategy to attract high-profile ex-Coalition figures. No formal policy platform from Bernardi has been detailed yet, but he emphasized reviving investment and community safety in initial statements.
SA Right Shifts as Bernardi Fuels One Nation Push:
Bernardi’s move arrives amid a turbulent period for Australian conservatism. The 63-year-old, a staunch social conservative known for opposing same-sex marriage and advocating traditional values, left the Liberals in 2017 amid internal rifts. His short-lived Australian Conservatives party aimed to rally right-wing voters but folded without electoral success, highlighting challenges for splinter groups.
One Nation, founded by Hanson in 1997, has long championed anti-immigration and nationalist policies, experiencing resurgences in Queensland and nationally. In SA, the party holds no state seats after Game’s departure, but recent federal polling (up to 14% nationwide) suggests momentum. The March 21 election pits incumbent Labor, elected in 2022 with a majority, against a weakened Liberal opposition led by David Speirs, criticized for lacking visibility.
SA faces rising debt (projected at $40 billion by 2027) and cost-of-living issues, with inflation at 3.5% and housing shortages. The upper house, with 22 seats (11 up for election), uses proportional representation, making it fertile ground for minors like One Nation, which needs about 8.3% quota for a seat. Bernardi’s candidacy could draw from the Liberals’ 35% 2022 vote share, potentially fragmenting the right and aiding Labor’s retention. This reflects national trends, where Coalition fractures have boosted alternatives like One Nation, now polling ahead of the Nationals in some areas.