The SA Liberal Party’s delay of one month in electing a new state president, to find a compromising way forward, may have been exposed.

And just maybe, it was “right under the hood”, as car enthusiasts say.

Mystery has surrounded the Libs decision to keep the identity of a last-minute candidate, who nominated 10 days ago, a top secret.

It was meant to stay that way until the revised date of their Annual General Meeting on September 19.

Whoever nominates, and there may end up being more than one contender, will take on hardline conservative Senator Alex Antic for the vacant position.

So, what do we know after a bit of digging into this intriguing guessing game?

I know for certain who isn’t in the race, but I may have accidentally stumbled on the contender whose identity the Libs are not even sharing between themselves.

Unlike the usual lurching Liberal ship, the SS Presidency is holding firm without any strategic leaks, as most see this as a watershed moment and possibly a case of saving the party from itself.

The true reason behind the election delay was a possible challenge to the result under the party’s constitution.

Some members had not been notified of the AGM procedures and after advice from their constitution committee, the initial election timing was postponed avoiding a potential legal challenge that may have followed.

That raised its own questions about the organisational ability of some in the party.

Since then, five names have been put to me as the person coaxed by moderates and so called “sensible conservatives” to take on the might of the Alex Antic forces for the top job.

I’ve publicly speculated about the likes of Senator Anne Ruston, former federal politicians Nicolle Flint and Simon Birmingham, former state minister Stephan Knoll and Liberal-turned-Independent Sam Duluk.

You might like

Opinion

Letters to the Editor on school walk-out

Opinion

Is there a new ‘girl power’ alliance in the SA Liberal party?

Then, a sixth name suddenly dawned prompting me to give them all a call to pursue the matter further.

Ruston flatly rejected any interest in taking on the role as she has her hands full in the Federal shadow ministry and in the Senate.

Birmingham, a former Liberal Finance Minister who is now Australian Banking Association CEO, also ruled himself out of the race.

He’s moderately aligned, does not have the time and it is unlikely his ABA board would take kindly to such dual roles.

Knoll and Duluk shed light which has been kept in the shadows until now.

They both confirmed they won’t be contenders, but through no lack of trying from others.

You might like

Opinion

Letters to the Editor on school walk-out

Opinion

Is there a new ‘girl power’ alliance in the SA Liberal party?

Both volunteered information that they had been approached separately a couple of weeks ago to run for the presidency, but both of their responses involved a firm “thanks, but no thanks.”

Knoll and Duluk were conservative Liberal members of state parliament, with Duluk falling from grace after an intoxicated Christmas party misdemeanour and Knoll, a former golden boy of the ministry, quitting after a turbulent time.

Knoll’s work life these days revolves around his Barossa Fine Foods family empire and advisory work.

In stepping down from his safe conservative seat of Schubert in 2022, it paved the way for current parliamentary leader Ashton Hurn to step up.

“I’d like to think any return to party politics would be treated as a hobby,’ he explained.

“I don’t want to feel like it’s a job or turning it into something I don’t want.”

Duluk turned down the opportunity because he has family responsibilities with a youngster and a lack of time to devote to the role.

I doubt they see the upcoming contest in the current political climate as anything to be relished, even though they both might be eminently suitable.

Flint is a conservative who has constantly kept everyone guessing about her future aspirations and that may continue.

She didn’t return my call.

Then it dawned on me.

Sitting Upper House MP Ben Hood has always been a compromise between the party’s left and right and might have the strongest credentials to knock off Antic.

He already works closely with Hurn as her Shadow Treasurer.

Hood is no stranger to hard work and welcomes a challenge, which would add to his already heavy workload.

Significantly, he also remained silent today.

When Libs Leader Ashton Hurn was specifically asked about Ben Hood at a press conference earlier today she dodged numerous questions on the speculation.

But it begs the question, if feelings are running so strongly behind the scenes, what hope is there for the state Libs going forward?

A strong state party should be directly linked to federal representation.

Currently SA only has two Liberal members in the House of Representatives in Canberra.

After last year’s bloodbath, where Sturt was lost, Tom Venning limped over the line in Grey and Tony Pasin had his majority slashed in Barker.

Venning should be worried about the looming shadow of One Nation in his regional northern outpost.

He holds Grey by a narrow 4.6 per cent margin after coming into the last election with a 10.1 per cent buffer.

Given One Nation’s strong showing in the eastern regional seats of Hammond and adjoining MacKillop at this year’s state election, a similar result could be reflected for Pasin in Barker.

If Venning and Pasin are gone, it leaves the Liberals with no House of Reps presence.

It is likely that it would stop there.

A Liberal voting collapse is likely to be repeated on the Senate ticket without any of the necessary quotas achieved.

Those not up for re-election, next time around, are Anne Ruston and Alex Antic.

The two could remain South Australia’s only elected Liberal members in Canberra, which leads to even greater problems.

It is well known that they have become arch enemies themselves after Antic ousted Ruston from top spot on the Liberal Senate ballot ticket two years ago.

It is hardly likely they would work happily or cooperatively together as a small team.

The upcoming AGM will also see members select the Senate batting order for the 2028 federal election where Antic forces are expected to be front and centre in a fierce contest.

If successful, they would bump sitting Senate members Andrew McLachlan, Kerrynne Liddle and Leah Blyth – the current SA Liberal Party president – out of the race before it begins.

Against that backdrop, many are fearful about where it all ends.

Amongst the party it varies from open hostility to them-versus-us with conspiracy theories galore.

The new president will have to quell more spot fires than are currently spreading across drought-stricken Europe and the United Kingdom.

Duluk and Knoll are as interested in the outcome as anyone else but have no doubts that they both made the right call.

Good luck to Ben or Alex, or any others willing to throw their hat into the party ring.

Mike Smithson is weekend newsreader and political analyst for 7News.