Victorian MP defects to Bernardi’s Conservatives

Victorian Upper House MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins has defected to Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives party, which has vowed to increase it’s representation at the next state election.

Dr Carling-Jenkins was elected to the Upper House as a member of the DLP in 2014.

In 2015 she introduced a private members bill to ban abortions after 24 weeks.

She says the decision to join Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives was not an easy one.

“We need to have that united voice,” she said at a press conference today.

Senator Bernardi launched the Australian Conservatives Party after leaving the federal Liberal Party.

He says the biggest issues in Victoria are law and order, power and the Safe Schools program.

He says the party will run several candidates in 2018.

“I’m confident Rachel won’t be the only Australian Conservatives representative after the next election,” he said.

The DLP has called on Dr Carling-Jenkins to vacate the seat and allow the party to continue representing the electorate.

– By Lauren Hilbert