Cory Bernardi bows out of federal politics, no regrets – The Australian

But after 13 years, the SA Senator is bowing out of politics with no regrets, saying he is “looking forward to becoming a blip in the annals of history”.

Bernardi, who turned 50 this month, quit the Liberals in 2017 and formed Australian Conservatives in disgust at Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership.

READ MORE: Bernardi rules out rejoining Liberal Party | Bernardi pays price for staying on right track

But he deregistered the fledgling party four months ago after it bombed with voters at this year’s election, the poor showing being attributed by Bernardi to the more conservative leadership of Scott Morrison.

Bernardi told The Australian last night that he had noted Mr Turnbull’s claim this week in a podcast with his SA factional nemesis, moderate powerbroker Christopher Pyne, that he was on track to lead the Liberals to victory before last year’s leadership coup.

“People can write their own history,” Mr Bernardi told The Australian. “Good luck to him I suppose.”

Cory Bernardi to call time on his political career 1:09

South Australian senator Cory Bernardi says “no one could feel better than I feel right about now” after announcing he intends to leave parliament on December 5. Mr Bernardi said he decided to leave because “the timing’s right” as he is in a “very comfortable and happy place”. “I’ll be a free agent in 2020,” he said.

“I do think though that my decision to leave played a role in shaping the ultimate outcome – changing the leader, and winning the election.”

Mr Bernardi says he has no regrets about leaving the Liberals, even though it inspired condemnation from many of his former colleagues who accused him of ratting on the party.

He leaves open the possibility of re-joining at some stage.

“People will make their own judgment of me and my contribution,” he said.

“But I have never wavered. I have never compromised my ethics or my principles.”

“I’m not going to say never to that (rejoining). If they want 150 bucks a year I might be happy to give it to them. I’m just not sure if I want to go to all the meetings.”

After graduating from the exclusive Prince Alfred College, Bernardi worked as a publican at his eponomously-named family hotel Bernardis in the Adelaide CBD in the 1990s before moving into politics under the tutelage of SA conservative warrior, former Senator Nick Minchin.

He retains a lifelong enmity with the moderate Turnbull backer Christopher Pyne, who also quit politics this year.

The SA Liberal Right is believed to have the numbers for the pre-selection to fill Bernardi’s vacancy with former SA Law Society president Morry Bailes in the box seat for victory, even though he will be challenged by moderate candidates.

Bernardi, who is married to wife Sinead with two teenage sons, says he is in no hurry to make a final decision as to his next step, but is likely to return to the family business, which has since expanded beyond hospitality to include property management, investment and advertising.

He says that his fondest political memory is a modest one.

“Quite early on I remember helping out a bloke who had his super tangled up and couldn’t get a straight answer out of his super fund,” he said.

“I got onto them and they sorted it out. It stayed with me. At its most basic that’s what we are there to do, try to help people live their lives and negotiate their way through the bureaucracy.”