Former MP wants to be Mayor
A state MP wants to use decades of political experience to lead one of South Australia’s largest towns after losing his old job.
Former Light MP Tony Piccolo has announced he will run for mayor of Gawler at the upcoming local government elections after One Nation beat him at the polls in the March State Election.
Asked why he put his hand up for mayor, Piccolo told InDaily that he still has lots to offer the community after serving as an MP for 20 years.
“I want to be able to use what I’ve learnt as an MP for 20 years and the connections I’ve made and the networks for the benefit of my community,” he said.
During his time as an MP, Piccolo served in several ministerial portfolios ranging from correctional services to police, social housing, youth and disabilities.
As a Labor MP, Piccolo was also outspoken in his support for Palestine, having been co-convenor of the SA Parliamentary Friends of Palestine.
Piccolo said his priorities as mayor would include managing urban growth in and around Gawler to protect the town’s identity and making sure infrastructure was delivered on a timely basis.
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“Infrastructure means not only roads but also health services, police, schools and all the things that you need for a viable community,” he said.
He also hopes to work with the local business community to attract new investment, keep rates down and make the council financially sustainable.
“As the Member for Light, I have gained valuable skills and knowledge of how government works, and have made numerous connections in the government, not-for-profit and business sectors and I want to use these connections for the benefit of our community,” Piccolo said.
He said he also wants to rebuild trust in public institutions, which he said has been impacted by misinformation on social media.
“People believe that they’ve lost some influence in their governments – people feel powerless, and I want to make sure people feel they have the ability to influence what our future council will do,” he said.
Piccolo was formerly the member for Light from 2006 until 2026.
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At the March 2026 State Election, Piccolo ran in the seat of Ngadjuri and was defeated by One Nation’s David Paton on a two-party preferred basis of 10,590 to 13,796 votes.
And it’s not his first rodeo in the council sector.
He previously served as a councillor for the District Council of Munno Para from 1981 to 1985 and for Gawler from 1985 until 2006. At the Town of Gawler, he was Deputy Mayor from 1989 to 2000 and Mayor from 2000 to 2006.
Piccolo said he was still a member of the Labor Party but was running as a private citizen.
“I’ll occasionally agree with the government, and occasionally I’ll disagree, and when I do agree or disagree, I’ll say so,” he said.
Piccolo said that post-state politics, he has been invited to join a range of local community groups and has been working with the Children of the North Alliance.
Asked if he would ever return to state politics, Piccolo said he would commit himself 100 per cent to the mayor role if elected.
“That’s where my headspace is, and that’s what I’m committed to. But, having said that, in life, you should never say never. But it’s not my plan at the moment, ‘No’,” he said.
It comes after current Gawler mayor Nathan Shanks announced on Facebook in June that he would not seek re-election and would instead run as a councillor.
“The Mayor’s role is a significant commitment, and doing it properly means making sacrifices,” he said.
“I have worked hard to stay present as a father, husband and project manager, but the reality is that the role requires a level of time, energy and focus that has placed pressure on my family, my career, and my own business goals.”
In other news, Mid Murray Council Mayor Simone Bailey has been elected as the next president of the state’s peak body for local government.
Bailey will formally succeed the current president, Mitcham Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross, at the Local Government Association of South Australia Annual General Meeting on December 4, having defeated Port Pirie Mayor Leon Stephens, Victor Harbor Mayor Moira Jenkins and Kimba Mayor Dean Johnson.
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