Victorian MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins says she has joined Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives party to help present a "united voice" for conservatives.
The Democratic Labour Party MP confirmed the switch on Monday from her original party to Senator Bernardi's party making her the first Australian Conservatives member in Victoria's parliament.
"I have joined this party quite simply because it is about uniting conservatives across our great state," Ms Carling-Jenkins told reporters at Victoria's parliament house on Monday.
She said hundreds of thousands of Victorians felt they were not being heard by politicians, and the party would give them a real choice at next year's election.
South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi and Victorian MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins Source: AAP
Ms Carling-Jenkins, who campaigned on a strong anti-abortion platform and described herself as a "social justice campaigner" in her maiden speech, was the DLP's only state MP.
"I think it's time (to leave the DLP) and many voters have demanded this from me, that we unite as a conservative united front," she said.
"I think that's being faithful to the voters who voted me in."
Senator Bernardi, who was at Victoria's parliament house for the announcement, said he admired Ms Carling-Jenkins for her tenacity, resilience and advocacy for causes she believed in.
"I thought she was someone I could deal with and someone I admire," the South Australian Senator told reporters.
He plans to have other candidates run in both the upper and lower house in Victoria's next state election, and is looking at key regional areas.
Senator Bernardi formed the Australian Conservatives earlier this year after quitting the Liberal Party.
The party is continuing its official registration in Victoria ahead of the 2018 state election.
The move follows the announcement in April of a merger with the Family First Party in South Australia and absorbing upper house members Robert Brokenshire and Dennis Hood.
Rachel Carling-Jenkins
- Elected to Victoria's Legislative Council November 2014
- Formerly a member of the Democratic Labour Party
- Her defection means the DLP no longer has any elected members nationwide
Before parliament:
- Worked in the welfare sector for 20 years
- Holds PhD in social sciences
Political interests and background:
- Grew up in a Christian household
- Strong right-to-life campaigner
- Anti-pornography and sex industry
- Successfully pushed for a parliamentary inquiry into the Victorian government's move to make the CFA a volunteer-only fire organisation
On the DLP:
- In her website biography, Dr Carling-Jenkins described the DLP as "a party which stands for the twin pillars of human dignity and the common good"
On the Australian Conservatives:
- "I have joined this party quite simply because it is about uniting conservatives across our great state."
Source: Dr Carling-Jenkins' maiden speech to parliament, DLP website
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