Robe business owner will aim to take back Mackillop for the Liberal Party

This story includes contributions from Lechelle Earl and Fred Smith at the SE Voice, and is free to read. Help Murray Bridge News tell more stories like this by subscribing today.

A tourism business operator from Robe will attempt to reclaim the electorate of Mackillop for the Liberal Party at the 2026 state election.

Rebekah Rosser was named the party’s candidate for the electorate, which stretches from Tailem Bend down into the South East, on Sunday.

She is the first announced opponent for independent MP Nick McBride, who was elected as a Liberal in 2018 but quit the party in 2023.

Ms Rosser grew up at Robe and went to Adelaide High School before launching a high-flying bureaucratic and corporate career.

She spent seven years as a ministerial advisor, working in the office of former state Opposition Leader Rob Kerin before taking roles in the federal public service under Prime Minister John Howard, including as secretary of a parliamentary agriculture committee and a clerk for the Liberal Party’s whip – or business manager – in the Senate.

She sought preselection for the party at least once during that period, losing a ballot to still-serving MP Michelle Lensink.

Ms Rosser then went on to work for the SA Cricket Association and Cricket Australia, according to a social media profile, rising to a position in which she negotiated multi-million dollar venue contracts.

However, she and her husband Andrew sold their St Peters home in 2019, according to The Advertiser, and moved back to Robe.

The couple now manage Stony Rise Lodge, a luxurious boutique hotel.

Ms Rosser’s Lea family has a history in the MacKillop electorate dating back generations; her English forebears were makers of the renowned HP sauce.

Around 170 Liberal Party members with voting rights were present at Sunday’s meeting of the Mackillop electoral college at the Kingston District Hall, along with around 60 observers and party officials.

There was a strong parliamentary presence, with state Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia, Senators Leah Blyth and Anne Ruston and MPs Ben Hood, Adrian Pederick and Heidi Girolamo.

Contesting the ballot were Ms Rosser, Bordertown’s Matt Neumann and Naracoorte’s Lachie Haynes.

Ahead of the weekend, all three had produced glossy brochures seeking the backing of members and attended meet-the-candidate forums at Millicent, Naracoorte and Tailem Bend.

Positive speeches about party unity were given by Mr Tarzia and Senator Ruston during the counting of the secret ballot.

No voting details were announced, but Murray Bridge News understands Ms Rosser achieved a majority only after the distribution of Mr Neumann’s preferences.

Ms Rosser said she was glad to have been preselected, and looked forward to advocating for “strong, values-driven” policy if elected next March.

“We have a real ability to bring back strong representation for our electorate into things that will make a difference for us here, like long-term funding for our regional roads and aged care funding that will support people to stay in their own homes,” she said.

Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia said her experience and commercial acumen would be valuable to the Liberal team in Parliament.

“While the local member has been distracted with personal issues, only the Liberal team has skilled people ready to hit the ground running,” he said.

Anti-Nick McBride sentiment carries the day

A Liberal Party source portrayed somewhat of a different perspective on Ms Rosser’s preselection.

“The surprising hot take from the Mackillop preselection is that we now have a candidate strongly supported by the Member for Mackillop’s estranged wife, who seems to be now deeply invested in the Liberal Party’s campaign in Mackillop to defeat him,” the source told the SE Voice.

“This preselection and the upcoming election should be about the people of Mackillop, not the divorce settlement.

“Katherine McBride is probably the person outside of Nick McBride himself who is most responsible for Nick’s decision to leave the Liberal Party, but 18 months later we find her embedded and deeply invested in the Liberal Party campaign seeking to defeat her estranged husband.

“(It’s) bizarre even for Liberal Party standards, certainly unhelpful.”

Liberal MP Ben Hood brushed off the criticism, stating that local Liberal members had made their own decisions.

“On Sunday almost 200 local Liberals came together to have their say and select their preferred candidate in a fair and democratic process,” he said.

“They made the decision based on who will best represent the community, and not the ongoing McBride melodrama.

“The Liberal Party has continued its strong focus on listening to and representing the Limestone Coast community and we are pleased that an experienced advocate like Rebekah will continue that work.”

Mackillop has been held by the Liberals for most of its 32-year history, but never before by a female representative.

The next state election will be held on March 22, 2026.

There will also be an independent-versus-Liberal contest in neighbouring Hammond, the electorate which includes Murray Bridge and Mannum: Airlie Keen will again challenge Mr Pederick, the long-serving MP.