Rogue Liberal senator Antic’s forces plot to purge high-profile party members

Federal Liberals are weighing an extraordinary intervention into their South Australia division over fears that senator Alex Antic’s bid for control will stop Opposition Leader Angus Taylor from competing in the state at the next election, as evidence emerges of an attempted purge of high-profile party members.

The party’s federal executive is expected to discuss the prospect of taking over the branch at a meeting on Friday in Canberra, according to several party sources familiar with the talks. The high legal threshold to take over a state division may mean that less drastic action is taken and it is unlikely to be resolved in a day.

Antic’s critics, many within his own Right faction , claim his supporters have been breaching governance rules by overturning the results of annual general meetings and pushing for the expulsion of former foreign minister Alexander Downer, former MP Nicole Flint, and former state MP Vickie Chapman.

All three are viewed as critics of Antic, a far-right senator who consistently votes against Taylor’s wishes in Canberra and has repeatedly opened the door to joining Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. His colleagues fear he is pushing for closer collaboration with Hanson, as suggested by his ally, Barker MP Tony Pasin, who previously called for a seat-sharing deal with Hanson.

Liberals close to Taylor, including party president Tony Abbott, have worked behind the scenes to prevent Antic from becoming South Australian president in an election next month. Moderates and right-wingers fear the prospect of the anti-vaccine, anti-abortion activist, MAGA-loving senator taking control.

But some federal and South Australian MPs hold the view that Antic cannot be talked out of his mission to upend the party. They will push for the federal branch to take the reins in South Australia, as the party did after the NSW division failed to lodge applications for council candidates.

The threshold for federal intervention is difficult to meet. Even some of Antic’s fierce critics think it probably cannot be reached unless Antic escalates his plans. But those pushing for the drastic move will allege that Antic’s forces are acting in a reckless manner that must be stopped.

In a series of messages obtained by this masthead, Antic’s leading numbers man, Dom Gelonese, pushes powerbrokers to kick out former MPs.

“Downer needs to be expelled from the SA Liberal Party.