Sarah Game tells voters not to put her party first after split with Chris McDermott
Fair Go for Australians candidate Chris McDermott will become an independent if elected. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
In short:
Former Adelaide Crows captain Chris McDermott will defect to become an independent if he is elected to SA parliament this month, despite running as a candidate for Sarah Game Fair Go for Australians.
Mr McDermott and Ms Game say the split is a result of a communication breakdown.
What's next?
Ms Game has made the highly unusual decision to tell voters not to put her party first in the upper house.
A South Australian politician is urging voters to not back her own party in the upper house after a dramatic breakdown with star candidate and former Adelaide Crows captain Chris McDermott.
Sarah Game said "unfortunately" she did not want South Australians to vote for her party, Sarah Game Fair Go for Australians, in the upper house after Mr McDermott said he would defect to become an independent if he was elected.
His name will stay on the ballot paper under the party's name because candidate declarations have closed.
"It does feel unfair for a fair-go party," she said.
"We threw everything behind Chris."
Sarah Game says many of her text messages went unanswered. (ABC News)
The pair addressed the media at simultaneous press conferences, in which they both pointed to differences in communication styles.
"I just couldn't work any longer in that environment," Mr McDermott said.
"I felt too handcuffed [and] restricted to have any social comment that I wanted to make."
Ms Game said she had barely been able to get hold of her candidate, which was "frustrating" and "unusual".
"I've got multiple unanswered text messages from myself to Chris — a long, long line of text messages where there's just no reply," she said.
Ms Game told reporters she was notified of his departure via text message this morning, after she had arrived at Adelaide Oval where she was expecting to film a promotional video alongside him.
Communication breakdown
Mr McDermott said what began as "minor" differences "broke the camel's back" and became "largely irreconcilable".
He said there were times when he was unavailable to speak to Ms Game, but he had brought others in to help with party communications.
"The more the pushback came, the further it pushed me away," he said.
Ms Game insisted Mr McDermott was free to speak to the press and post on social media as he pleased until recently, when he endorsed ex-Fair Go candidate Jake Hall-Evans on social media.
Mr Hall-Evans is now running as an independent in the western suburbs seat of Colton.
Sarah Game with Chris McDermott (centre) and Jake Hall-Evans in early February. (ABC News)
"I think it might have been the final straw, but I think they're basic things to expect," Ms Game said.
She said Mr McDermott's decision was a "relief" because their relationship felt like a "facade".
Mr McDermott was Fair Go's third lead upper house candidate since August, following Adelaide City councillor Henry Davis and Mr Hall-Evans, formerly of the Liberals.
Ms Game herself is no stranger to defections, having announced last May that she was quitting One Nation, the party under which she was elected.
In 2022 she became the first One Nation candidate to be elected to SA parliament.
The party is looking to grow at the March poll 21, with well-known former Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi leading the legislative council ticket amid a surge in popularity nationally.
Ms Game raised concerns about One Nation getting more than one candidate elected.
"I think to see a number of people elected would be a shame," she said.
"The only piece of legislation One Nation has ever passed was passed by myself."
She suggested voting for the Liberal Party to ensure there was a "legitimate opposition".