SA Liberal Senate Preselection Faces Turmoil as Antic Allies Question Blyth's Position

Liberal senator Leah Blyth, state party president and shadow assistant minister, is confronting a preselection showdown as delegates aligned with senator Alex Antic withdraw their support. Blyth had pushed for a June State Council meeting, asserting the party would likely win only a single Senate seat in South Australia, a move described as unconventional by party officials. Antic's supporters accuse her of betraying conservative priorities, citing her absence from the Albanese government's hate-speech legislation vote and her decision not to back an amendment to the Sex Discrimination Act.

They argue she should be placed in a low-ranked, unwinnable slot, preferring candidates like Andrew McLachlan, Kerrynne Liddle, or former United Australia Party candidate Michael Arbon. The ultimate ticket order will be set by about 220 State Council delegates, while the party's state presidency election has been postponed, leaving Antic as the leading contender for that role.