Bernardi tops Senate ticket
Controversial Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi (pictured) has remained first on the party’s South Australian Senate ticket despite pro-gay marriage Senator Simon Birmingham holding a more senior position in the party ranks. Bernardi resigned as Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s parliamentary secretary in September after linking gay marriage to beastiality in a Senate debate.
Birmingham, who is shadow parliamentary secretary for the environment and the Murray-Darling Basin, was one of two Liberal MPs who publicly supported same-sex marriage legislation.
Abbott criticised the recent Senate ticket debacle for SA Labor after members at their State Convention voted to put Senator Don Farrell above Finance Minister Penny Wong.
While Abbott had been critical of Labor’s internal decision-making, he defended Bernardi’s position as the ticket frontrunner. He said Bernardi had been higher in the standings than Birmingham when the Senate pre-selections had been settled.