DESPITE being selected as the Centre Alliance candidate for Barker four months ago, Kelly Gladigau has yet to visit Mount Gambier because she is “busy planting spuds”.
Ms Gladigau, the party’s preselected candidate since October, said scheduled visits to the South East had been postponed due to her farming commitments.
With the federal election expected to be held in May, Ms Gladigau said she was looking to tour the South East as soon as possible.
The registered nurse and primary producer contested the rural seat of Hammond, which borders MacKillop and encompasses Murray Bridge, at the 2018 state election.
Nationals state president Jonathon Pietzsch said preselection for the seats of Barker and Grey would open next week.
Last year, the party called for expressions of interest in the two rural seats, as well as the Adelaide Hills-based seat of Mayo and the northern metropolitan seat of Spence.
Mr Pietzsch said the party had been in discussions with a number of potential candidates for both Barker and Grey.
Barker was last contested by the National Party in 2013, with Keith-based farmer Miles Hannemann polling sixth out of a seven person contest.
Queensland businessman and politician Clive Palmer’s rebadged United Australia Party announced it would field candidates in every seat in the House of Representatives, but said there was “nothing to report on at the moment” when asked about Barker.
Meningie artist Rose Hillam has been preselected for the Greens and Labor have yet to announce their candidate for Barker.
Former Millicent High School student Major “Moogy” Sumner AM received the Greens endorsement as its number two candidate on the Senate ticket behind sitting Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
