Alex Antic’s rise in SA Liberals has coincided with a collapse in the party’s vote. Is there further to fall?
News Source
•Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:00:03 GMT
📰 What Happened
Liberal senator Alex Antic has become state president of the South Australian Liberals. He beat upper house leader Nicola Centofanti 119 votes to 73 over the weekend. Antic said the win would give party members back some voice.
Antic leads a group of conservative and Pentecostal members known as Alex's Army. Pollster Tony Barry has called him a vote-losing machine. After March's state election, the party held just five lower house seats.
🔍 The Backstory
The SA Liberals have fought for years between moderates and conservatives. Antic has pushed topics like vaccines, trans issues and climate change. He was the only Coalition senator to back a change to the No Jab, No Play law.
Guardian Australia reported on 23 Sep 2026 that Labor's Blair Boyer called the party a copy of One Nation. Opposition leader Ashton Hurn must now lift the party's vote while answering constant questions about Antic.
🎯 Why It Matters
A major party moving to the right changes which policies get debated in your state. It also decides who runs as a Liberal at the next election.
Liberal senator Alex Antic has become state president of the South Australian Liberals. He beat upper house leader Nicola Centofanti 119 votes to 73 over the weekend. Antic said the win would give party members back some voice.
Antic leads a group of conservative and Pentecostal members known as Alex's Army. Pollster Tony Barry has called him a vote-losing machine. After March's state election, the party held just five lower house seats.
The SA Liberals have fought for years between moderates and conservatives. Antic has pushed topics like vaccines, trans issues and climate change. He was the only Coalition senator to back a change to the No Jab, No Play law.
Guardian Australia reported on 23 Sep 2026 that Labor's Blair Boyer called the party a copy of One Nation. Opposition leader Ashton Hurn must now lift the party's vote while answering constant questions about Antic.
A major party moving to the right changes which policies get debated in your state. It also decides who runs as a Liberal at the next election.