Every few years, a political figure manages to stir up a controversy so pointed that it follows them for more than a decade. Cory Bernardi, the South Australian conservative who spent 14 years in the federal Senate, is one of those figures. In 2026, just weeks before the state election, Bernardi doubled down on a comparison he made back in 2012 linking same-sex marriage to bestiality — and he wasn’t apologising. This article traces his arc from Liberal Party insider to One Nation leader, and examines why his refusal to retract matters for the March 2026 ballot.

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Born: 6 November 1969 ·
Political Party: One Nation (since 2019) ·
Senate Term: 2006–2020 ·
Resigned from Liberal Party: 2017 ·
Current Role: Leader of One Nation South Australia

Quick snapshot

1Personal Life
  • Born 6 November 1969, Adelaide (Wikipedia)
  • Married to Susanna Bernardi since 1994 (Wikipedia)
  • Three children, names not widely publicised (Wikipedia)
2Political Career
  • Liberal Party Senator for SA 2006–2017 (Wikipedia)
  • Founded Australian Conservatives 2017 (Wikipedia)
  • Joined One Nation 2019 and now leads SA branch (ABC News)
3Key Events
  • Resigned as parliamentary secretary after bestiality remark 2012 (Sydney Morning Herald)
  • Left Liberal Party 2017, citing ideological drift (Wikipedia)
  • Doubled down on same-sex marriage comments ahead of 2026 SA election (ABC News)
4What’s Next
  • Contesting SA Legislative Council seat as lead One Nation candidate (Wikipedia)
  • Election scheduled 21 March 2026 (ABC News)
  • One Nation contesting all 47 lower house seats (ABC News)

The pattern: Bernardi’s core biographical details are stable across sources, but the key facts table below distills what is verified versus what remains private.

Cory Bernardi key facts
Category Detail
Full Name Cory Bernardi
Born 6 November 1969
Spouse Susanna Bernardi
Children 3
Political Party One Nation (formerly Liberal, Australian Conservatives)
Senate term 2006–2020
Current position Leader of One Nation South Australia

Why Did Cory Bernardi Resign?

Reasons for leaving the Liberal Party

  • Bernardi resigned from the Liberal Party in 2017, saying the party under Malcolm Turnbull had drifted from conservative principles (Wikipedia).
  • He formed the Australian Conservatives, a party he described as a “principled conservative alternative” (Wikipedia).
  • That party merged into One Nation in 2019 (Wikipedia).

Formation of Australian Conservatives

  • The Australian Conservatives launched in February 2017 with Bernardi as leader (Wikipedia).
  • The party contested the 2018 South Australian election and later federal seats but failed to win a lower-house seat (Wikipedia).
Bernardi’s departure from the Liberals was not a quiet exit — it was a calculated move to build a vehicle for social conservatives who felt abandoned by the mainstream centre-right. The merger with One Nation brought him back into a national party but with a smaller, more combative base.

Who Is Cory Bernardi’s Wife?

Marriage and family life

  • Cory Bernardi married Susanna Bernardi in 1994 (Wikipedia).
  • Susanna has largely stayed out of the public eye and is not active in political campaigning (Wikipedia).
  • The couple has three children: one daughter and two sons (Wikipedia).

The pattern: Bernardi’s private life is carefully shielded. Unlike many politicians who feature family in campaign materials, his wife and children rarely appear in media, reinforcing his public persona as a policy-focused, not personality-driven, operator.

Does Cory Bernardi Have Children?

Number of children and public appearances

  • Bernardi has three children: a daughter and two sons (Wikipedia).
  • Children’s names are not widely publicised (Wikipedia).
  • In interviews, he occasionally references his children when discussing education or family values (Wikipedia).

The implication: The absence of family visibility contrasts with politicians who use children as symbols of “family values” — Bernardi’s approach suggests a preference to let his policy positions speak, rather than invite personal scrutiny.

What Was Cory Bernardi’s Seat?

Senate representation and electoral history

  • Bernardi was a Senator for South Australia from 2006 to 2020, initially as a Liberal (Wikipedia).
  • He was appointed on 4 May 2006 to fill a casual vacancy created by the resignation of Senator Jeannie Ferris (Wikipedia).
  • He was re-elected in 2007 and 2013 before resigning from the Senate in 2020 (Wikipedia).
  • In February 2026, Bernardi joined One Nation and announced he would run for a Legislative Council seat in South Australia in the lead position (Wikipedia).
The catch: Bernardi’s shift from a secure federal Senate seat to contesting a state upper-house spot represents a clear demotion in institutional power — but it gives him a platform in a party that is polling strongly enough to potentially hold the balance of power in South Australia.

What Is Cory Bernardi’s Speech Controversy?

Bestiality claim and political backlash

  • In 2012, Bernardi said legalising same-sex marriage could have consequences including polygamy and bestiality (Sydney Morning Herald).
  • He resigned as Tony Abbott’s parliamentary secretary on 19 September 2012 after the backlash (Sydney Morning Herald).
  • In March 2026, during the SA election campaign, Bernardi told ABC News he was “100 percent” supportive of his previous comments and said, “I’m not apologising or retracting anything I’ve said” (ABC News video via YouTube).
  • He also said he was “not fussed” if people found his comments offensive (ABC News).
  • Seven News Adelaide reported he “doubled down” on his comments (7NEWS Adelaide Facebook).
What to watch

The 2026 controversy is structurally identical to the 2012 one — same claim, same refusal to walk it back — but the context has shifted. In 2012, Bernardi was a junior frontbencher under Abbott; in 2026, he is the lead candidate for a party that, according to ABC News, was buoyed by polling suggesting One Nation could surpass the Liberal Party in primary vote support.

The implication: Bernardi’s strategy is consistent — he treats controversy as a signal to his base that he will not bend to progressive norms. The trade-off is that he alienates moderate voters who might otherwise consider One Nation on cost-of-living or housing issues.

Timeline of Cory Bernardi’s Political Journey

  • : Born in Adelaide, South Australia (Wikipedia)
  • : Appointed to fill Senate vacancy (Wikipedia)
  • : Resigned as parliamentary secretary after bestiality remark (Sydney Morning Herald)
  • : Resigned from Liberal Party, founded Australian Conservatives (Wikipedia)
  • : Australian Conservatives merged into One Nation (Wikipedia)
  • : Resigned from Senate (Wikipedia)
  • : Joined One Nation, announced Legislative Council run (Wikipedia)
  • : Stood by bestiality claim during SA election campaign (ABC News)
  • : SA state election date (ABC News)
  • : Delivered maiden speech in SA parliament (ABC News)
The paradox

Bernardi’s political arc is remarkable for its consistency: he has been punished for the same rhetorical pattern twice (2012 and 2026) and each time doubled down rather than moderated. That stubbornness may energise his base, but it also means One Nation is running an election campaign defined by a 14-year-old controversy — not by the housing or cost-of-living issues that typically decide South Australian elections.

Confirmed Facts and What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Birth date: 6 November 1969 (Wikipedia)
  • Appointed to Senate in 2006 (Wikipedia)
  • Resigned as parliamentary secretary in 2012 after bestiality remark (Sydney Morning Herald)
  • Resigned from Liberal Party in 2017 (Wikipedia)
  • Resigned from Senate in 2020 (Wikipedia)
  • Married to Susanna Bernardi since 1994 (Wikipedia)

What’s unclear

  • Exact number of children: reported as 3, but names not public (Wikipedia)
  • Net worth: not publicly disclosed

Key Quotes in the Controversy

“I’m not apologising or retracting anything I’ve said.”

— Cory Bernardi, speaking to ABC News in March 2026

“I’m 100 percent supportive of my previous comments.”

— Cory Bernardi, ABC News video via YouTube

“I’m not fussed if people find my comments offensive.”

— Cory Bernardi to ABC News

“Bernardi has doubled down on his controversial comments.”

— 7NEWS Adelaide, March 2026

The implication: The 2026 quotes mirror the 2012 ones so closely that the controversy is less about new information and more about Bernardi’s refusal to change. For South Australian voters, the choice is not about a new gaffe — it is about whether a politician who has spent 14 years holding the same line deserves a seat in the state’s parliament.

Additional sources

reddit.com, youtube.com, abc.net.au, sa.onenation.org.au, facebook.com, facebook.com, facebook.com

His controversial tenure in the Senate is further explored in a detailed profile of Cory Bernardis role as One Nation leader.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cory Bernardi’s political party?

As of 2026, Bernardi is a member of One Nation and the leader of One Nation South Australia. He previously belonged to the Liberal Party (until 2017) and founded the Australian Conservatives (2017–2019) before merging into One Nation (Wikipedia).

When did Cory Bernardi become a senator?

He was appointed to the Australian Senate on 4 May 2006 to fill a casual vacancy for South Australia. He was subsequently re-elected in 2007 and 2013 (Wikipedia).

Why did Cory Bernardi leave the Liberal Party?

Bernardi resigned from the Liberal Party in 2017, citing ideological differences with the party under Malcolm Turnbull, which he believed had abandoned conservative principles (Wikipedia).

What was Cory Bernardi’s seat in the Senate?

He represented South Australia as a Senator from 2006 to 2020. He currently is running for a seat in the South Australian Legislative Council as the lead One Nation candidate (Wikipedia).

Is Cory Bernardi still in politics?

Yes. He joined One Nation in February 2026 and is the party’s lead candidate for the South Australian Legislative Council in the 2026 state election (ABC News).

What is the bestiality controversy involving Cory Bernardi?

In 2012, Bernardi said legalising same-sex marriage could lead to polygamy and bestiality. He resigned as Tony Abbott’s parliamentary secretary after the remarks. In March 2026, he told ABC News he stood by those comments and would not retract them (Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News).

Who is Cory Bernardi’s wife?

His wife is Susanna Bernardi. They married in 1994, and she has largely remained a private figure, not involved in public political campaigning (Wikipedia).

How many children does Cory Bernardi have?

He has three children: one daughter and two sons. The children’s names have not been publicly disclosed (Wikipedia).

Related reading

For South Australian voters heading to the polls on 21 March 2026, the choice around Cory Bernardi is clear: his campaign is defined not by housing affordability or cost-of-living policy, but by a 14-year-old remark he refuses to walk back. One Nation may gain seats on dissatisfaction with the major parties, but Bernardi’s brand of conservatism ensures that every vote for him is also a vote on that remark.