Everyone's favourite Anti-Queer Christian Conservative, Cory Bernardi, is back in the headlines. The former disgraced Liberal senator who quit federal politics nearly a decade ago has won a South Australian Legislative Council seat for One Nation, after a tight preference count.
THIS ARTICLE AT A GLANCE
- Cory Bernardi won a SA Legislative Council seat for One Nation.
- Bernardi served as a Liberal senator before quitting to form Australian Conservatives.
- One Nation placed Bernardi in a winnable Upper House position.
- Bernardi’s opposes LGBTIQA+ rights, gender care and anti-discrimination expansions.
- One Nation now holds two MLCs in the SA Upper House, increasing crossbench influence.
Estimated read time: 2 minutes
Bernardi first grabbed headlines as a Liberal senator from 2006, building a reputation for distasteful and anti-LGBTIQ+ comments that often landed him in hot water, comparing gay sex to bestiality and calling Safe Schools “Cultural Marxism”
Disillusioned, he eventually quit the Liberal Party in 2017 to form Australian Conservatives after his warnings about “radical gender ideology” went unheeded; however, his new party died unceremoniously after a dismal performance at the ballot box in 2019.
He stepped back from frontline politics, occasionally popping up on Sky News and 2GB to lament “woke” culture.
Fast forward to 2026, and Bernardi teamed up with One Nation, marginally winning an Upper House State seat. With One Nation polling around 5% statewide, Bernardi’s name recognition and conservative base secured the final Legislative Council seat from the March election.
SA One Nation leader Tammy Franks confirmed his win, calling it “a mandate to fight the extremes on both sides.”
Bernardi wasted no time.
“South Australians have rejected the woke agenda and sent a clear message,”
he posted on social media the day quotas were finalised.
“I’m honoured to serve and will hold the line on family, faith and freedom.” It’s classic Bernardi – the same lines that alienated Liberal moderates a decade ago now play to One Nation’s base of regional voters, ex-Liberals and anyone who still sees queer culture and rainbow flags as a slippery slope.
For LGBTIQ+ South Australians, the election of Bernardi raises questions about what One Nation’s Upper House presence means for state debates on gender-affirming care, LGBTIQA+ issues and anti-vilification laws.
Bernardi’s voting record reveals a complete rejection of LGBTIQA+ rights, marriage equality, funding for gender clinics, and his current grievance — drag storytime events. His victory has secured One Nation two members in the Legislative Council, a chamber where their presence could sway crucial votes on important issues.
Political analysts called it “Bernardi’s revenge arc.” After years in the wilderness, the man who burned bridges in Canberra has found a new home with One Nation, where his views fit the brand. Whether that translates to real power or just headlines remains unclear, but one thing’s certain: Cory Bernardi isn’t done talking.
