A GAWLER allegiance will see Member for Light Tony Piccolo run for the Liberal-held seat of Schubert at the next State Election against former transport minister Stephan Knoll.
A recent redraw of state electoral boundaries, including draft changes to split Gawler and Evanston into separate state electorates, pushed Mr Piccolo to seek ALP pre-selection for the neighbouring seat – set to receive half of Light’s current constituents.
During a press conference in Gawler on Sunday, Mr Piccolo said the decision was the “right one” for his community.
“It would be easier for me to contest the new Light electorate which has a 12 per cent margin in Labor’s favour,” he said.
“But I would have struggled had I left Gawler. My heart is here and to think of having an electorate office somewhere else I just couldn’t contemplate.”
Under the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission draft changes more than 12,500 Light voters from Gawler, Gawler East, Gawler South, Gawler West, Hewett, Reid and Willaston will be moved into the seat of Schubert.
Meanwhile, Evanston, Hillier, Kudla and Uleybury will remain in the Light electorate, set to gain Blakeview and a portion of Craigmore as part of the changes.
Mr Knoll assured locals he was still the right choice for Schubert.
“The Marshall Liberal Government has delivered more for the people of Gawler and the Barossa in the last 2.5 years than the former Labor Government did in 16 years,” he said
“This includes the Gawler line electrification, something that Labor and Tony Piccolo had a decade to deliver and failed to do so.
“I am proud to represent the people of Schubert and remain committed to my electorate.”
Meanwhile, Mr Piccolo has represented the people of Gawler and surrounding areas for more than 35 years, including his election to public office in 1985 as a Gawler councillor, followed by a six-year stint as Mayor. He has held the seat of Light since 2006.
“The feedback I have so far received is that people are glad I have made this decision,” Mr Piccolo told The Bunyip.
“People in Gawler are very parochial and I have been here since 1963… and we have sort of grown up together and as a result we have gotten to know each other and we look after each other, so I am looking after Gawler by staying here.
“If I had decided to stay with Light, I would have worked those areas like I have done previously, but Gawler is who I am.
“I also want to be a voice for the people in the (Barossa) Valley.”
Under the draft boundaries Schubert will continue to be a Liberal-held seat with a margin of 5.4 per cent – a seat Labor needs to win in order to secure Government.
SA Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas said the jump was Mr Piccolo’s decision, but that the party would back him “100 per cent”.
“I want Schubert to be represented by a strong, hardworking member of parliament and I cannot think of anyone better than Tony Piccolo,” he said.
“Tony hasn’t done this for himself and I don’t even think he’s doing it for Labor.
“He’s doing it because he cares about his community. It is sincere, and if you’re honest about it, you don’t always see that in politics these days.
“This is a bold and brave move by Tony. Giving up a safe seat to run for a seat held by the other side shows his level of commitment to the people of Gawler, the Barossa and Labor Party.
“While the new boundaries are still to be finalised, we just can’t afford to sit around and wait another three months, we want to hit the ground running to ensure that the electorate of Schubert gets the hard-working representative they deserve.”
Mr Malinauskas said the party was yet to turn its mind to Labor’s next Light candidate.
“That is something we will do over coming days and weeks,” he said.
“What we are determined to do is to find a candidate who has a connection to the electorate and is able to fill the very big shoes that Tony has left at least in his part of lower Light.
“And if Labor is able to win the seat of Schubert then we are one step closer to achieving a Government post 2022.”
Piccolo steps down from Opposition frontbench
MEMBER for Light Tony Piccolo has stepped down from the Opposition frontbench to focus on a ‘Schubert showdown’ with former Liberal transport minister Stephan Knoll.
The local MP announced on Sunday he would run for the Liberal-held seat at the next State Election following a recent redraw of state electoral boundaries and the proposed split of his electorate.
Mr Piccolo is resigning as Opposition spokesperson for planning, local government, housing, urban development and veteran’s affairs to focus on his Schubert campaign.
“It’s no secret winning the seat of Schubert is going to require a huge task,” he said.
“(But) I have decided to relinquish my shadow ministerial responsibilities so I can continue to focus on representing the people of Gawler, while seeking the trust of the people of the Barossa Valley.
“I could have stayed in shadow cabinet and done a reasonable job, but I didn’t want my community to suffer.
“The only way they are not going to suffer is for me to divert my whole attention to looking after Gawler and putting that extra time that I would have put into shadow cabinet into the Valley.”
SA Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas said the party was yet to consider a replacement for Mr Piccolo’s portfolios.