Brendan Simpkins
NICK Champion’s long-touted switch to state politics was confirmed on Saturday morning, when the local MP announced his nomination for preselection in the seat of Taylor.
Champion’s passage was made clear following the shock retirement of incumbent member Jon Gee in January.
The Member for Spence announced his nomination for preselection alongside Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas at Munno Para Shopping City.
He is no stranger to the area, having represented the northern suburbs for more than a decade.
Champion first entered Federal politics after winning the former seat of Wakefield in 2007, becoming only the third Labor politician to do so.
Following a redistribution in 2018, Champion transferred to Spence.
He said two reasons had swayed his decision to make the switch – being closer to the community and the leadership of Malinauskas.
The decision was considered for some time.
“You talk to your friends, family and the community, in the Labor Party you talk to the branch members and the unions, so there has been a pretty exhaustive consultation period,”
Champion said.
“But we are now at almost the end of the nomination period and that’s why I have decided to make the decision today.”
Nominations for preselection for Labor’s candidate for Taylor closed on Monday.
Rumours have swirled for months that Champion would ditch the halls of Parliament House in Canberra in favour of a permanent stay in his home state, with a move into the seat of Light first touted.
Incumbent Tony Piccolo was all set to make a move to Schubert based on draft electoral boundary changes, vacating Light to follow Gawler’s forced shift, however those changes failed to develop.
Champion had been tipped to challenge for the vacant seat before the plans were scuppered.
Malinauskas said that, despite the persistent whispers, he was unaware of Champion’s intentions to make the switch.
He revealed Gee had made it clear he would recontest Taylor up until the start of the year.
“I think Jon Gee’s announcement that he is retiring has certainly opened up the opportunity and exacerbated the discussion between Nick and I,” he said.
“I am excited about it, and I am certainly grateful that Nick has made the decision that he has.”
Malinauskas said it was “critical” for the Labor Party to take a candidate with Champion’s knowledge of the area into the next election.
However, Malinauskas was holding his cards close to his chest on a potential cabinet position for Champion should Labor form government next year.