SA Best, the political party created by Nick Xenophon in 2017 in anticipation of the 2018 state election, has officially concluded its operations in South Australian politics following the loss of its last parliamentary seat in the recent March election. Connie Bonaros, the party’s sole remaining member in parliament, expressed her belief that One Nation may have siphoned off some of her votes, yet she remains proud of her accomplishments during her eight-year tenure.
Despite the disappointing election results, Ms. Bonaros stated she still feels “lots of buzz” and is uncertain about her future. SA Best was initially envisioned as a third alternative in the political landscape of South Australia. The party’s inception saw the selection of 36 candidates, and it was viewed by some analysts as a potential influencer of the balance of power.
Connie Bonaros, who previously served as an advisor to Nick Xenophon for 14 years, was elected to the upper house alongside another candidate. Reflecting on her political journey amidst the campaign materials, including a cardboard cutout of Mr. Xenophon, she expressed her sadness over the party’s closure, acknowledging the transient nature of minor political parties and their legacies. “I am proud of the legacies left behind by this party in this state,” she remarked.
Eight years prior, as the SA Best party rose in the polls before the 2018 South Australian election, Ms. Bonaros was among many candidates vying for a position under its banner. Nick Xenophon had stepped down from federal parliament to form this state party, and polls indicated that nearly half of the electorate supported him as a potential premier. However, despite a vigorous campaign from rival parties, the party ended up receiving only 14 percent of the total statewide vote on first preferences and did not secure any seats in the lower house.
In her tribute to Mr. Xenophon, who is currently recovering from surgery after complications following a brain tumor operation, Ms. Bonaros acknowledged his unique achievements as an independent politician. “There isn’t a politician in Australia who started off as an independent and has accomplished what Nick has,” she stated.
Mr. Xenophon entered the SA Legislative Council in 1997, campaigning against poker machines, and later moved to federal politics, where he expanded his party’s reach to include three senators and a representative in the House of Representatives. Ms. Bonaros credits Mr. Xenophon with teaching her how a minor party can instigate change through grassroots advocacy and legislative action.
However, the party has struggled to maintain its identity following Mr. Xenophon’s exit from politics after the 2018 election. Political analyst Josh Sunman from Flinders University indicated that SA Best has had difficulty establishing its brand without its founder, noting that many voters were primarily attracted to Mr. Xenophon himself rather than the party as a whole.
In the 2022 state election, SA Best’s support dwindled to just one percent of the votes in the Legislative Council, and this year, the party garnered a mere 0.6 percent of the statewide vote. Sunman remarked on Mr. Xenophon’s strong anti-establishment image, which resonated with voters who were disillusioned by the traditional political parties, and noted that One Nation has since attracted that anti-establishment sentiment.
Ms. Bonaros, whose heritage includes Greek migrants, acknowledged the significant impact of One Nation on her voter base, particularly among the Greek and Italian communities, where she believes she lost some traditional support to the competing party. She noted that immigration was a dominant concern raised by constituents during her campaign, despite it being an issue not within the state’s jurisdiction.
While Ms. Bonaros expressed no regrets over her candid remarks regarding One Nation’s leadership, she did lament her inability to effectively communicate her achievements to the electorate, stating, “I think if one thing that cost me was certainly my inability to sell myself to the public and let them know these are actually things that I have achieved.”
