A former federal MP who quit politics after experiencing sexism and harassment has announced she will recontest the South Australian seat of Boothby at the next federal election.
Nicolle Flint has been selected by the Liberal Party to run for the marginal southern suburbs seat, which she previously held for two terms.
The seat, which stretches from Brighton in the west of the electorate to Belair in Adelaide’s foothills, and includes the suburbs of Warradale, Marion and Mitcham, is currently held by Labor’s Louise Miller-Frost.
In the 2022 Federal election, Ms Miller-Frost defeated Liberal candidate Rachel Swift, claiming 53.3 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis.
It was the first time Labor had held the seat in more than 70 years.
Ms Flint said she was returning to federal politics after a “breakthrough” with her stage 4 endometriosis in December last year.
“I’m running again because my health is on track but the nation isn’t. Australians are not better off under the Albanese Labor government,” Ms Flint said.
“I am determined to do everything I can to see Peter Dutton elected as the next prime minister of Australia, because we cannot put Australians through another three years of the mess the Labor government has made for them.”
Federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton, who was in Adelaide for the announcement, said Ms Flint had been a “champion” for the electorate.
“She had an enormous amount of respect from the people of Boothby and she went above and beyond, even at the cost of her own health to represent them in the federal parliament,” Mr Dutton said.
Liberal candidates for Adelaide and Makin announced
Ms Flint was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016, when she succeeded former Liberal MP Andrew Southcott, and was re-elected in 2019.
In February 2021, Ms Flint announced she would not recontest Boothby at the 2022 federal election, after experiencing sexism and harassment which included her electoral office being targeted by offensive graffiti and comments about her clothing choices.
“I never want to see the disgraceful behaviour that occurred in 2019 happen ever again and that’s why I was so vocal about it,” Ms Flint said.
“I will continue to speak out against this sort of behaviour whenever I see it and I hope it doesn’t occur again.”
Earlier in 2020, Ms Flint posted a video on Twitter wearing a garbage bag calling out what she called the sexist “rubbish” women in politics have to put up with.
After the announcement, Boothby MP Louise Miller-Frost told the ABC Mr Dutton’s “far-right negativity and endless culture wars have no place in South Australia and my electorate of Boothby”.
“My priority is always the people of Boothby – nowhere else – and working with our community to build a better future with them,” Ms Miller-Frost said.
The Liberal Party also announced its candidates for the two federal South Australian seats of Adelaide and Makin.
Amy Grantham will contest the Labor seat of Adelaide — held by Steve Georganas — after running for the same electorate in 2022.
Irena Zagladov will represent the Liberals in the northern Adelaide seat of Makin, which is currently held by Labor’s Tony Zappia.
Mr Dutton said the party believed all three metropolitan Adelaide seats were winnable at the 2025 federal election.
“We have chosen our three candidates … because they are champions for their local communities,” Mr Dutton said.
“They are in seats, which we believe, are winnable and we have to have a greater presence in South Australia.”
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