One Nation vows to be SA's strongest-ever opposition

One Nation's South Australian president Carlos Corimba is heading into Saturday's state election with a bold pledge: regardless of how many seats the party wins, it intends to become the most formidable opposition the state has ever seen.

Corimba, a builder and carpenter by trade, is contesting an upper house seat alongside sitting member Cory Bernardi. With polls placing One Nation at around 22 per cent statewide — and even higher in regional areas — the party appears well-positioned to expand its presence in the Legislative Council.

"Whether we win one, two, five or ten seats, we're going to be the best and strongest opposition this state has ever had," Corimba said as the campaign entered its final days.

He pointed to Labor's how-to-vote cards as an unlikely endorsement of One Nation's relevance. "If you really want to know who Labor believes is the opposition, look at every Labor how-to-vote card — we're dead bottom. I'd argue we already are the real opposition in this state."

Corimba said support is strongest among working-class and blue-collar voters in areas outside central Adelaide — tradies and battlers who feel abandoned by both major parties. "They work really hard. They're building the houses being asked of them, getting taxed left, right and centre, and they've just had a gutful," he said. "People want average people back in politics. They want to know those representing them are actually one of them."

Cost of living dominates the conversation on the doors, Corimba said, along with a broader frustration that the major parties offer little real difference. He used the American-coined phrase "uni-party" to describe what many voters feel — a sentiment driving support toward minor parties and independents.

One Nation has leaned heavily on social media to reach voters, bypassing what Corimba described as an indifferent mainstream press. The party's Facebook following has grown to four times the combined audience of the Liberal and Labor parties in South Australia, with candidates generating significant engagement across platforms.

"The mainstream media aren't really interested in talking to us, but then again they're not really interested in talking to the average voter either," he said. "Socials are going through the roof."

On preference flows, Corimba acknowledged the picture is mixed, with some parties placing One Nation near the bottom of their tickets — mirroring Labor's approach. He remains unfazed, arguing the party's growing base makes it impossible to ignore. "We're here to stay. We're not going away. If One Nation really doesn't mean anything to the two majors, why do they keep talking so much about us?"

Upper house seats in South Australia are allocated proportionally statewide, meaning every vote — from Renmark to the Adelaide Hills — counts equally toward the quota. Corimba said the party won't take a single one for granted.