Liberal Member for Barker and shadow cabinet minister Tony Pasin faces a record nine challengers in his bid to win a fifth term in office as the May 3 poll fast approaches.
It is understood that Barker has never before attracted 10 nominations since the seat was created in 1903.
Of the 10 nominations which were lodged ahead of the nationwide deadline on Friday, seven are party-endorsed candidates and three are independents.
Mr Pasin’s main challenger is set to be the Labor Party’s James Rothe who is a 20-year-old tertiary student from Tanunda.
National Party member and Tintinara farmer Jonathan Pietzsch also made an unsuccessful bid for the seat in 2022 and has again nominated for Barker.
Independent Rosa Hallam is making her third run for Barker as she stood at the 2019 and 2022 polls as a Greens candidate.
Adelaide resident Robert Jameson, 77, has been endorsed by Clive Palmer’s new Trumpet of Patriots Party while Jennifer Troeth will represent Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
Family First is contesting Barker again with Michael Brohier as its candidate.
The Greens candidate is former Millicent resident Major “Moogy” Sumner and he has previously stood for the Greens without success in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Ian Penno is another independent candidate for office along with Cody Scholes.
ABC election analyst Antony Green expects Mr Pasin and seven other incumbents to retain their seats in South Australia.
According to Mr Green, the only SA seats in play are the Adelaide suburban electorates of Sturt and Boothby
“The federal party leaders may be flying over the state on trips back and forth to the all-important west instead of stopping over in Adelaide,” Mr Green said.
An additional help for Mr Pasin is that he has drawn the coveted place at the top of the ballot paper and could secure the so-called donkey vote.
A candidates’ forum is being staged by the independent Murray Bridge News on April 28 while another is tentatively scheduled for Naracoorte later that week.
Mr Pasin is in the most southern part of his electorate today (Tuesday) delivering his donated bottles of rum to RSL clubs for their Anzac Day commemorations.
