Kerrod Trott 
Long-serving local MP Leon Bignell, who has represented the State Seat of Mawson since 2006, has announced he will not re-contest the seat at the State Election to be held in March 2026.
Leon, who noted political commentator Anthony Green once described as “the best marginal seat campaigner in Australia”, has consistently increased his margin in successive elections, despite some unfavourable redistributions.
In an emotional address to Parliament, with family and friends watching on from the Gallery, Leon Bignell revealed that he had promised his family, immediately after the 2022 election, that this would be his last term of office, a promise he was able to keep.
No word has yet been announced of a successor.
Here is the latter Leon sent to his constituents announcing his retirement:
To everyone in the electorate of Mawson I wanted you to be the first to know about some news I’m about to give to the Parliament of South Australia.
Today is the last sitting day before the state election next March and I will be informing the House of Assembly of my decision to retire from politics at the election.
I love the people of our local area and I love every inch of our beautiful part of the world that I call home.
From McLaren Vale to the western end of Kangaroo Island we have a series of communities. Some large like Aldinga, some small like Second Valley.
They all have their own personality and they’re all full of wonderful personalities and characters.
It’s been my absolute pleasure to work hard for each and every one of you during the past 20 years.
Together we came up with the toughest protection laws in Australia to save the McLaren Vale food and wine region from urban sprawl and gutter to gutter housing.
That Act of Parliament locks in a billion dollar a year food, wine and tourism sector and has helped support thousands of local jobs and hundreds of small, medium and large businesses.
Politics is not that complicated. Democracy is about people. So, if you put your hand up to serve you have to be out and about with the people you represent.
They’re your bosses. Listen to their feedback, their needs and aspirations and go into bat for them. When the chips are down like during the devastating Kangaroo Island bushfires of 2019-20 double down. Get in, offer support any way you can. It might literally be a shoulder to cry on or it might be delivering two-way radios to keep farm firefighters safe or generators to help people get back on their feet.
To the school students, the sporting clubs and community groups across the electorate thank you for inspiring me, for energising me and for giving me your time.
To the people of Mawson, thanks so much for your trust and for backing me in at five successive elections since 2006. I’m still here until March 21 and I’ll be working hard for our area right up to election day.
Main photo: Leon Bignell MP (Centre) at the recent opening of the Aldinga Skate Park.
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