Full Breakdown
Alex Antic Wins South Australian Liberal Party Presidency, Raising Questions About Party Direction
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Antic Elected State President
Senator Alex Antic was elected president of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party at the party’s annual general meeting on Saturday. Delegates voted 119 to 73, defeating upper-house leader Nicola Centofanti. The presidency gives Antic control over the state executive, the body that sets campaign agendas and oversees fundraising, and places him on the federal executive that can call for intervention in state branches.
Background & Context
The South Australian Liberals entered the March 2026 state election with only five lower-house seats, a historic low that left the party fragmented between moderates and hard-right factions. Over the past five years Antic has recruited evangelical and Pentecostal members into local branches, forming a group known as “Alex’s Army.” His record includes crossing the floor on vaccination policy, climate-change positions and support for One Nation figures such as Pauline Hanson and Cory Bernardi.
Data & Statistics
- Vote tally: 119 for Antic, 73 for Centofanti.
- Approximate delegate pool: ~200 state-council members.
- Liberal lower-house representation after March election: five seats.
Criticism & Opposition
Moderate members expressed alarm that Antic’s presidency could shift the party further right. Ashton Hurn, the moderate leader of the SA Liberals, said disagreement within the party is “healthy” but warned that Antic’s agenda may clash with the parliamentary leadership’s priorities. Former foreign-affairs minister Alexander Downer dismissed concerns about administrative changes, emphasizing that the state president’s role is “administrative” and does not affect policy-making.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Antic’s stance toward a formal merger with One Nation. In an interview on September 22, 2026, Antic said a coalition between the Liberal Party and One Nation “might be necessary” to form government, while a later ABC interview quoted him denying any merger, calling such claims “made up” and “outright not right.” No definitive policy position has been announced, and the federal executive’s response to possible intervention remains unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As we saw at the election in March, many who used to support the Liberals have given their support to One Nation because the Liberals no longer represent the conservative values which matter to them,” — Mr Bernardi
- “Even strong right-leaning Liberals would have a problem with that," Senator Antic said, adding that there would also be financial complications.” — Senator Antic, rogue liberal senator
- “The new president will convene the state executive soon and we all look forward to getting on with the job,” — Mr Hyde, party state director
- “Since when has disagreement become such a bad thing in politics?” — Ms Hurn
What’s Next
Antic has indicated that the state executive will meet soon to set its agenda. As state president, he now sits on the federal executive, which would be required to approve any federal intervention in the SA division. Party officials, including Liberal leader Ashton Hurn, have called for the SA branch to become “election-ready” ahead of the next state election, while discussions about potential cooperation with One Nation continue in the Senate and among senior party strategists.