A former long-serving federal Liberal MP has thrown his support behind an independent challenger, not the incumbent Liberal, in the South Australian regional electorate he held for almost 15 years.
Barry Wakelin was elected as the member for Grey — which covers most of South Australia, and is geographically one of the biggest seats in the country — in 1993.
After four successful elections, Mr Wakelin retired in 2007 and was succeeded by Rowan Ramsey, who remains the sitting MP.
Mr Ramsey retained the seat by a margin of 13.3 per cent at the 2019 election, but is being challenged by independent Liz Habermann.
Ms Habermann, who owns the Wudinna bakery on Eyre Peninsula, nearly ousted the Liberals from the usually safe seat of Flinders at the state election in March.
After that narrow defeat, she committed to running for Grey, saying the practice of politics was becoming "quite disconnected" from the aspirations of voters.
Mr Wakelin today told ABC Radio Adelaide he would be endorsing Ms Habermann, not Mr Ramsey.
While he acknowledged there were "differences" of opinion between him and Mr Ramsey, Mr Wakelin — who opposes the proposed location of a nuclear waste dump at Kimba — said he had become "disillusioned" with major party politics.
"It's not just a pox on all their houses, it's the simple fact that Liz is a fine lady. She's done a great job in the recent state election and it's with great pride I support her," he said.
"We need change, we need to move on from Wakelin and Ramsey really.
"I think it's time not only that a fine woman has a go but that someone from Wudinna on Eyre Peninsula just up the road from us gets an opportunity to prove her stuff as she did nearly at the last state election."
Ms Habermann shot to public prominence in the lead-up to South Australia's legalisation of voluntary euthanasia.
She has been an advocate for voluntary assisted dying since her 18-year-old son, Rhys, took his life in 2017 after being diagnosed with terminal bone cancer.
Mr Wakelin said that he had been impressed with Ms Habermann's state election campaign, and would be handing out how-to-vote cards on her behalf ahead of the federal poll.
"We need to think about independents. Thirty per cent of Australians now are looking at that," he said.
But Mr Ramsey this afternoon hit back, saying he was "disappointed in Barry's comments" and criticising retired MPs who publicly turn against their former parties.
"He had 13 years in parliament and now he's on the old parliamentary superannuation system — something I'll never be able to access, of course," he said.
"It's not just Mr Wakelin.
"There are a number of other quite high-profile former members of parliament around Australia that I think sort of just give a very dismissive wave to those who backed, believed and supported them, and … are so disappointed when they come out and start attacking the party that actually gave them the opportunity to serve the people in the first place."
