Vincent Tarzia resigned as leader of the South Australian Liberal Party on Friday. His decision has sent shockwaves through the party just months before the March 2024 state election. Tarzia’s resignation came less than 16 months into his tenure and has prompted discussions about the future leadership of the party. Due to this surprise vacancy, Ashton Hurn has declared her candidacy for this leadership position.
Current deputy leader Josh Teague had already ruled himself out of contention for the top job. He’s content to remain in that state. On Monday morning, this divided party will come together for a high stakes open door meeting. They’ll hold an official election to pick a successor to Tarzia, though many candidates already have their eyes on leadership positions.
Candidates Emerge for Leadership Role
Ashton Hurn’s candidacy has already garnered support from influential members of the party, such as former party State leader Nicola Centofanti and MP Ben Hood. Hood expressed his backing for Hurn, stating, “I spoke briefly with Ashton [on Friday] and expressed my support to her should she choose to take the leadership.” He further added, “I think she would be a tremendous leader.”
Frank Pangallo, an upper house MP and former independent, is supportive on Hurn’s side. Pangallo had earlier declared his intention to stand for the Labor-held lower house seat of Waite. Now, he is 100 percent behind the “entire leadership team,” regardless of who goes on to lead the party. He painted Hurn as a “highly talented and very good candidate” who would contribute to the success of the Liberal Party.
During this period of change, Pangallo has already assured that he approached the party for advice on how to take the step to become deputy leader. But perhaps most significantly, he warned about which sort of leaders could rise to the party’s top. So there’s obviously a lot of people clamoring for positions of leadership in the Liberal Party. Frank Pangallo’s one of them,” he said.
Current Leadership Landscape
Despite the evolving leadership situation, Josh Teague reiterated his dedication to his role, stating, “I’m the deputy leader of the Liberal Party, I’ll continue in that role. There is no vacancy in that role.” He clarified that he would not be running for the leadership position on Monday, emphasizing his satisfaction with his current responsibilities.
Teague’s fierce defense underscores the intricacies of intra-party dynamics, especially around the rules surrounding leadership positions. He cited as an example the inability under party rules for an upper house MP to become deputy leader. This clarification may influence future leadership decisions as candidates consider their positions within the party hierarchy.
At the same time, Pangallo admitted that Teague’s leadership ambitions are unclear. “Not even sure whether Josh is even intending to run,” he noted, underscoring the fluid nature of the ongoing discussions surrounding leadership.
Looking Ahead
The next party room meeting will be an important test for the South Australian Liberal Party. It will prepare them to weather the sudden and unanticipated leadership shakeup. With Hurn emerging as a frontrunner and support building around her candidacy, the dynamics within the party stand to shift significantly.
Frank Pangallo was hopeful about Hurn’s ability to usher in a new positive direction for the party’s future. I’m heck of a lot more than that—I’m there to support the leaders of the Liberal Party, and the directions they want to take the party. If it’s Ashton Hurn, I definitely can’t wait, though,” he confirmed.
Most insiders consider Hurn the current front runner. Her success now depends on winning sufficient support from party members and addressing key priorities for the Liberals before the next state election.
