Mystery Liberal to run against Antic for presidency
A new contender has emerged against Alex Antic as rumours swirl over who could be the next state president.
InDaily understands conservative federal backbencher Alex Antic will face a challenge for the SA Liberal Party presidency despite recent reports his ascension to the role was a “done deal”.
Multiple sources confirmed to InDaily that someone would run against Antic at the upcoming Annual General Meeting, but Liberals on all sides have remained tight-lipped about revealing the contender.
It comes as news emerged today that the party’s AGM has now been delayed by a month, meaning other Liberal hopefuls have more time to nominate for the state’s top job.
The original deadline for presidency nominations was Friday, August 7, at 5pm, and it is understood the mystery challenger put a hand up on Friday.
Rumours continue to swirl that party stalwarts including former Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer and former SA Senator Baden Teague were asked to run.
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Baden Teague is the father of current state Deputy Liberal leader Josh Teague.
Teague was a South Australian senator from 1978 to 1996 and led several foreign affairs committees in his time in parliament.
He supported the High Court’s Mabo judgement that granted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander native title rights, and told a reporter in 1999 that “there would be few in the Liberal Party further to the left than me”.
InDaily has attempted to reach Teague for comment.
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Downer said in May he was prepared to take on the party’s national presidency for the party, won by Tony Abbott unopposed. Abbott reportedly put Downer’s name up for the top SA job, but it was believed Downer declined.
It comes after current president Leah Blyth said it was “never my intention” to run for another term.
Blyth had earlier in July been given a terse threat over standing for the role again, with a senior party source who refused to be named telling InDaily “There is no Blyth and Antic tussle, because Blyth’s career would be totally finished if there was one”.
The state Liberal Party Annual General Meeting has been delayed until September 19 with the state director Alexander Hyde saying around 200 Liberal delegates were originally expected at the Piccadilly cinema on August 29 but the venue was no longer available.
Hyde said storm damage at the cinema meant a new venue was being sought, and that he could not confirm or deny any candidates at this stage, with nominations for the presidency now closing on August 28.
A Liberal source said the delay was “unprecedented”, given the dates were circulated with plenty of notice, and only the Covid years had previously disrupted the calendar.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous, was concerned the delay was “disrespectful” to regional members of the party who had already planned their travel to Adelaide for the event.
Antic’s bid for state president is expected to be supported by the Liberal Women’s Council, which last week saw a tense exchange between former attorney-general Vickie Chapman and anti-abortion lobbyist Joanna Howe.
The Liberal Women’s Council saw a conservative clean sweep, its executive members and president winning 13 votes to pick the party’s next president at the upcoming AGM.
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