Michelle Daw, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

A newly formed group is seeking potential candidates to stand as independents for the seat of Grey at the next federal election.

This follows the decision by veteran incumbent Rowan Ramsey not to re contest the seat after 17 years in the role.

The election will be held on, or before, September 27 next year, with all 150 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs and possibly 40 of 76 seats in the Senate to be contested.

Port Lincoln resident Andrea Broadfoot, who has run twice for Grey in 2016 and 2019 under the Nick Xenophon Team and Centre Alliance banner, is a key member of the Independent for Grey movement, but is not expected to contest the election.

In 2016, Ms Broadfoot nearly defeated Mr Ramsey with 48 per cent of the two-candidate preferred vote, but she secured only 5.1 per cent of the primary vote in 2019.

Political funding group Climate 200 supported Wudinna bakery manager Liz Habermann’s campaign in Grey at the 2022 election, when she finished third behind the two major parties with 11.3 per cent of the vote.

IFG spokesman Jack Ritchie said the next federal election would be an opportunity to secure fresh, dedicated representation.

“It’s been a safe seat for quite a long period of time,” he said.

“People are over party politics and want to see true representation at a local level.

“Now is the time for ‘Greyter’ representation.”

Mr Ritchie said IFG membership was growing and included YP residents, two of whom were on the IFG working party.

“We’re committed to independence and reject big party politics which have left us without a voice for too long,” he said.

“We’re not a political party and we don’t have political positions.”

IFG has begun hosting a series of community events to identify priority issues for residents and to seek a suitable candidate.

Mr Ritchie said it was hoped the group’s candidate would be finalised before November.

Any independent candidates seeking election in Grey will compete against one of five Liberal Party candidates who are in the running to be nominated for preselection.

They include Barunga Grains farming manager Tom Venning of Bute, who is the nephew of former member for the state seat of Schubert, Ivan Venning.

When contacted by the Yorke Peninsula Country Times, Mr Venning said he was not yet in a position to confirm or rule out his candidacy.

The other four reported candidates are Kimba mayor and Local Government Association president Dean Johnson, former Family First staffer Rikki Lambert, former United Australia Party candidate Suzanne Waters, and Whyalla police officer Matt Sampson.

The seat of Grey covers more than 92 per cent of South Australia’s land mass and stretches from the NSW to Western Australian border.

It encompasses all of Yorke Peninsula and the key hubs of Ceduna, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Augusta, Roxby, Port Pirie and the Clare Valley.

This article appeared in  Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 30 July 2024.