A former South Australian minister has announced he will run at the next election if he gains the support of his party's members, despite being caught up in the country expenses scandal this year.
Tim Whetstone was first elected to the predominately Riverland regional seat of Chaffey in 2010, after serving on irrigator representative bodies for a number of years.
At the last state election in 2018, he was promoted to the Cabinet and assigned the regional development and primary industries ministerial portfolio.
However in July this year he resigned from the position, after an ABC investigation revealed he had incorrectly claimed expenses through the Country Members Accommodation Allowance.
Mr Whestone has since paid back the $6,993 and the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption cleared him of misconduct, alongside his other colleague and former transport minister Stephan Knoll.
While Mr Knoll announced last week he will be resigning from politics at the 2022 state election, the Member for Chaffey said he was looking to contest and has nominated as the preselection Liberal candidate for his seat.
"There were some accounting irregularities that I had addressed before this became public and the Country Members Accommodation Allowance is something I have put well behind me now," he said.
"I paid the price standing down from Cabinet, but I will make it very very clear and point out to everyone that I still have the desire and the will to potentially be reconsidered for re-entry back into Cabinet.
"But as a local member that is my absolute focus at the moment, and I am making sure I am out and about visiting communities.
"I feel as though I still have plenty of energy and enthusiasm and I do still honour the role, and I am going to make sure that everyone knows what I bring into the Parliament and what I bring into those communities."
Chaffey changes welcomed
The seat of Chaffey currently spans over 24,000 kilometres and includes the townships of Renmark, Waikerie, Swan Reach, and Sedan.
Under Electoral Boundary Commission changes set to be enforced at the 2022 election, Chaffey is set to take in more than 1,700 additional voters in the Karoonda East Murray Council area to the south and large sections of the Mid Murray Council to the west.
Mr Whetstone said he had previously represented many of these towns and was looking forward to getting out and meeting people in these communities.
"I've got a new list of people to door knock and visit, including those businesses and communities that are looking for good representation in the State Parliament," he said.
"That goes all the way from the pastoral country to the north of the electorate over to the west in Bower.
"So, it is a large electorate but it's the premium food bowl of South Australia and it just got a little bit bigger."
