A former Labor MP, who is accused of blackmailing South Australia's Opposition Leader, has read a pitch to voters based on her independence from major parties following a court appearance this morning.
Former Labor MP Annabel Digance and her husband Greg Digance are accused of blackmailing Labor leader Peter Malinauskas for political advantage.
They pleaded not guilty in the District Court today.
Their trial was set down for 10 days next May.
The Strathalbyn couple is accused of threatening to make allegations of misconduct against Mr Malinauskas in 2020.
Their lawyers had previously sought to get the case thrown out, arguing there was no case to answer because the law excluded negotiations to secure a political benefit.
But a magistrate last year ordered they stand trial.
During the couple's arraignment, Ms Digance's lawyer told the District Court there would be extensive cross-examination of witnesses, including Mr Malinauskas.
They have previously accused Mr Malinauskas of seeking to prosecute them in order to derail a parliamentary inquiry into alleged bullying and misconduct in the Labor Party.
Ms Digance was a Labor MP from 2014 to 2018, when she lost to Carolyn Power.
She beat Ms Power — then Carolyn Habib — in 2014 after issuing a flyer that asked "Can you trust Habib?" and featured a wall ridden with bullet holes.
Statement stresses independence
Mr and Ms Digance are standing as independent candidates for the Legislative Council in the state election, to be held on March 19.
After the court appearance this morning, Ms Digance read out a two-page statement, which she told journalists to publish in full or risk their integrity.
"I am standing, and I will operate as a true independent, having done no deals with any other candidate or party," she said.
Ms Digance did not answer any questions.
She was a nurse, midwife and academic at Flinders University before becoming an MP, while Mr Digance was previously a McDonald's franchisee.
She would be ineligible to stay in parliament if elected and then convicted.
