Legislative Council member Jing Lee has fronted the media following her shock resignation from the South Australian Liberal Party yesterday. Ms Lee stated that an internal party dispute played a role in her departure and mentioned that she’s considering running as an Independent in the next election.
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00:00A day after striking out on her own, Jing Li found herself walking with a crowd of hundreds
00:08and describing her break up with the Liberal Party with the all too familiar, it's not
00:12you, it's me.
00:13It's not about the Liberal Party, it's about the current stage of my political career where
00:20I feel that I can better serve the community as an independent.
00:25The upper house member says there's no bad blood with the SA Liberals after party leader
00:29Vincent Tarzia announced on Saturday she was leaving effective immediately.
00:33There are so many great people within the party and I ask the community to support them
00:38as local members.
00:40Last year Ms Li apologised to state parliament for reneging on a peering deal with Liberal
00:44colleague Michelle Lentzink while voting on a controversial bill to change the state's
00:48abortion laws.
00:49She said she felt her political career was threatened after being pressured by an external
00:54visitor.
00:55It's not one specific factor, it compounded to my final decision.
01:05She's one of their hardest workers and she's decided to leave them and I think that speaks
01:08volumes about the Liberal Party and Vincent Tarzia's leadership.
01:12Ms Li says she wants to use her newfound independence to do politics right, vowing to represent
01:17the marginalised groups of South Australia.
01:19How long she'll do that for depends on her decision to run again as an independent in
01:24March next year.
01:25I still have not decided whether I will contest the 2026 election.
01:31I want to continue to have that discussion with the community and stakeholders.
01:37Senior Liberal Party members declined to speak to the ABC and said they'll make no further
01:42comment on her resignation or campaigning activities.