Former journalist Frank Pangallo quits SA-Best after falling out with colleague Connie Bonaros
Paul Starick, Editor At Large
December 1, 2023 - 6:01PM
Former journalist Frank Pangallo has quit SA-Best after feuding with colleague Connie Bonaros, unravelling the party once spearheaded by Nick Xenophon.
Mr Pangallo, who was elected to the state’s upper house in 2018, will see out the remainder of his eight-year term as an independent.
It is understood the feud with Ms Bonaros erupted when she backed the Labor government's university merger legislation in October, when Mr Pangallo would have preferred more time to consider the detail.
A statement from his office said Mr Pangallo had on Friday written to his former colleague, Ms Bonaros, advising her of his decision, effective immediately.
“This is not a decision I have made lightly, but one I believe is necessary,” Mr Pangallo said.
“It has become apparent in recent months that Connie and I no longer share our once-aligned ideologies – something that has significantly impacted our professional relationship.
“That said, I am proud of the achievements Connie and I have been able to achieve in state parliament since we were both elected in 2018.
“I wish Connie well for the future and hope we can have a professional and cordial working relationship moving forward.”
Ms Bonaros has been contacted for comment.
Mr Pangallo was a long-time Today Tonight journalist and worked as a media adviser to Mr Xenophon.
He and Ms Bonaros were announced in January 2018 as candidates for Mr Xenophon’s high-profile ticket for the state election that March, at which they were elected but he failed in a bid to capture the eastern Adelaide seat of Hartley.
The SA-Best website, which late on Friday afternoon featured pictures of Ms Bonaros and Mr Pangallo close together smiling, declares the “centrist” party the only one in SA “not shackled by blind ideology, political factions or vested interests”.
The Advertiser has been told Mr Pangallo quit on Friday afternoon, after an alleged “final straw” of Ms Bonaros on Wednesday opposing his motion on opening greater public access to ministerial appointment diaries and interjecting during his speech.
Further fuelling speculation of a feud between the pair in parliament on Thursday, Ms Bonaros revealed she did not discuss her position with Mr Pangallo before the pair joined with One Nation’s Sarah Game to kill off a Greens MLC Robert Simms’ proposed parliamentary committee into the government’s Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Bill.
In a personal explanation responding to an article by Advertiser state political editor Kathryn Bermingham, Ms Bonaros said: “from what I can tell, I’m the only person mentioned in this article who did tell the Hon. Mr Simms in advance I would not be supporting his call for an inquiry”.