'We need all our numbers': Liberal rules out SA upper house presidency bid
South Australian Liberal MLC Dennis Hood has ruled out running for the presidency of the Legislative Council, ensuring the party retains all six of its votes in the upper house. His decision means the presidency will likely go to a Labor MLC, costing the government a vote and requiring two crossbench votes to pass legislation opposed by the Liberals. Hood cited party commitments and the need to maintain Liberal representation on the floor as key reasons for his decision.
- ▪Dennis Hood has been a member of the South Australian upper house since 2006 and joined the Liberal Party in 2018.
- ▪By not taking the presidency, the Liberal Party retains all six of its votes in the 22-seat Legislative Council.
- ▪Labor will likely need two crossbench votes to pass legislation opposed by the Liberals if a Labor member assumes the presidency.
- ▪The crossbench consists of three One Nation, two Greens, and one ex-One Nation MLC.
- ▪Hood was recently appointed to the shadow cabinet with portfolios including veterans affairs, tourism, and sport.
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SA Liberals poised to hold firm in upper house as Dennis Hood rejects presidency roleBy state political reporter Thomas KelsallTopic:State and Territory Parliament34m ago34 minutes agoFri 1 May 2026 at 9:13pmDennis Hood has been in state parliament since 2006 and the Liberals since 2018. (ABC News: Carl Saville)In short: South Australian Liberal MLC Dennis Hood says he will not take the position of upper house president when parliament returns on Tuesday.Mr Hood had been linked to the role, but it would have deprived the Liberals of one of its six votes on the floor of the upper house.What's next?The president will likely be a Labor MLC, meaning the government will need two crossbench votes to pass legislation that is opposed by the Liberal…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).