Liberal Member for MacKillop Nick McBride has emphatically rejected a capital city rumour that has him replacing Independent MP Geoff Brock in the State Labor Cabinet.
The rumour was aired on an Adelaide commercial radio station yesterday morning (Monday) and was attributed to an unnamed source in the Labor Party.
Mr McBride told The SE Voice that he first became aware of the rumour via a text message around a week ago.
“I can rule that out and there have been no deals and no talks with the Labor Party,” Mr McBride said.
“I made it very clear early in my career that I would never do a Martin Hamilton-Smith.”
Mr McBride was referring to the ex-Liberal minister and Opposition Leader who quit the party in 2014 and served in the Labor State Cabinet under Premier Jay Weatherill for four years.
Airing of the rumour coincided with the defeat of Mr McBride’s wife Katherine in the Liberal pre-selection contest for the seat of Barker at Murray Bridge on Saturday.
Mr McBride has friends on both sides of politics and several Labor MPs attended his 50th birthday at Robe in 2019.
He has also dined at the home of Premier Peter Malinauskas and recently asked him to intervene and secure the gymnasium at the closed Tantanoola Primary School for community use.
