Councillor leaves Greens, announces state election tilt
Adelaide City Councillor Keiran Snape has announced he’s running as an independent for the seat of Adelaide in the upcoming election and has left the Greens to do so.
Snape, a Greens member for 11 years, said he left the party after a rule change that would have stopped him from running in the upcoming election and working for now-independent MLC Tammy Franks.
Franks, a former Green, left the party in May, alleging she was “undermined” and received unfair treatment in the Greens party room.
A leaked Greens SA committee memo claimed Franks engaged in misconduct in the party. Franks said in May that she intends to take the party to court.
When Franks first defected from the party, Snape said he was assured by senior Greens members that “no pressure” would be put on him and other Greens members who continued to work in her office.
“A little over three weeks ago, the party executive moved to create new rules, blocking members who work for an independent MP from running as a Greens candidate,” Snape said.
“This is a retrograde decision, disappointing many members in the party.
You might like
“While others in the party are fighting to overturn this position, my energy is best focused on advocating for the community of Adelaide.”
Snape announced his run as an independent on Sunday alongside Franks, with endorsements from former senator Rex Patrick and former Adelaide City Councillor Greg Mackie OAM.
Adelaide Park Lands Association president Sarah Russo also backed Snape’s pro-park lands campaign.
Snape joined the Adelaide City Council after winning a 2021 supplementary election and secured a spot to represent the South Ward in the 2022 council election. He served as the Deputy Lord Mayor in 2024.
Franks said Snape is “genuine, hard-working and willing listen, learn and lead”.
“Adelaide residents and rate payers already get a fair hearing and an enthusiastic advocate in Keiran now, but they will have a champion in the state Parliament should he be elected as their state MP,” she said.
Stay informed, daily
Snape said it’s been an “honour” to serve the city council, but many issues like the Adelaide park lands “can only be dealt with at a state level”.
“It has become clear that, with the implosion of the Liberal party and with the Greens focused on the hills and upper house seats, there will be no real challenge to the Malinauskas government here in the seat of Adelaide,” Snape said.
Snape referenced the Walker Corporation festival tower and the move to seize the North Adelaide Golf Course and a neighbouring park from council control as key “attacks” on the park lands.
“The crux of these issues is the lack of transparency and accountability of this government,” he said.
“This culture of secrecy needs to end. Many of the most controversial projects, decisions and captain’s calls are made behind closed doors.
“If elected to state parliament I will vote for transparency every time.”
His campaign will include pushing for the park lands to be state heritage listed and for funding to make a UNESCO World Heritage bid for the park lands.
Snape will also campaign for the long-running council desire for a tram extension to North Adelaide, and for the state government to acquire the Adelaide Bridge from the council to make it happen.
“The fight against climate change is about more than green space. Public transport is key to reducing carbon emissions,” Snape said.
Any tramline extension to North Adelaide is likely to hinge on an upgrade of the state heritage-listed Adelaide Bridge over the River Torrens, which the council estimates to be $60 million.
Maintenance and repair of the bridge is a council responsibility, with no funding support being allocated to it in the forward estimates of the state government budget.
