{{short description|Australian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jason Virgo | honorific_suffix = MP | image = | alt = | caption = | constituency_AM = MacKillop | assembly = South Australian House of | term_start = 21 March 2026 | term_end = | predecessor = Nick McBride | successor = | office2 = Member of the Mount Gambier City Council | term_start2 = 3 April 2023 | term_end2 = 30 March 2026 | predecessor2 = Ben Hood | successor2 = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|35|2026|04|03}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = One Nation | other_party = Sex Party<br />Labor Party }}
'''Jason Virgo''' (born {{birth based on age as of date|35|2026|04|03|noage=yes}}) is an Australian politician. He was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly at the 2026 state election, representing the district of MacKillop for One Nation. He previously served on the Mount Gambier City Council from 2023 to 2026. Virgo is formerly a member of the Labor Party and the Sex Party, and stood for election representing the latter in 2010 and 2013.
==Personal life== Virgo was born in {{birth based on age as of date|35|2026|04|03|noage=yes}}<ref name="Bird et al.-2026">{{cite news |last1=Bird |first1=Becc |last2=Bradbrook |first2=Sam |last3=Graham |first3=Narelle |title=South Australian MP Jason Virgo's switch from the Australian Sex Party to One Nation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-03/one-nation-jason-virgo-australian-sex-party-sa/106516010 |access-date=3 April 2026 |work=ABC News |date=3 April 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260402234617/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-03/one-nation-jason-virgo-australian-sex-party-sa/106516010 |archive-date=2 April 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> and raised in Port MacDonnell, South Australia. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Communications. At the time of his election to parliament he was working in a "security-based role in Mount Gambier" and in the process of qualifying to become a mortgage broker. He previously worked for the District Council of Grant and at the Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sevoice.com.au/candidate-endorsed/|title=Candidate endorsed|newspaper=The SE Voice|date=19 February 2026|access-date=2 April 2026}}</ref>
Virgo is openly gay.<ref name="Karakulak & Dowdell-2026">{{cite news |last1=Karakulak |first1=Helen |last2=Dowdell |first2=Rory |title=One Nation MP brought to tears in speech addressing sexuality |url=https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/just-in/2026/05/21/one-nation-mp-brought-to-tears-in-speech-addressing-sexuality |access-date=21 May 2026 |work=InDaily |date=21 May 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260521090626/https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/just-in/2026/05/21/one-nation-mp-brought-to-tears-in-speech-addressing-sexuality |archive-date=21 May 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> Virgo's partner was born in Indonesia and is a Muslim.<ref name="Karakulak & Dowdell-2026" />
==Politics== ===Early involvement and activism=== Virgo served as secretary of the Mount Gambier branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) for a period,<ref name="Bird et al.-2026" /><ref name="SE Voice-2026" /> and was twice a candidate for the Australian Sex Party, standing at the 2010 and 2013 federal elections for the party in the Senate.<ref name="Bird et al.-2026" /><ref name="SE Voice-2026">{{cite news |title=Record nominations |url=https://sevoice.com.au/record-nominations/ |access-date=23 March 2026 |work=The SE Voice |date=5 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260323061141/https://sevoice.com.au/record-nominations/ |archive-date=23 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Virgo victory sees One Nation gain a third SA seat |work=The Advertiser |date=31 March 2026 |page=12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Senate Candidates - SA |url=https://results.aec.gov.au/15508/Website/SenateCandidates-15508-SA.htm |website=Virtual Tally Room |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=23 March 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260323061234/https://results.aec.gov.au/15508/Website/SenateCandidates-15508-SA.htm |archive-date=23 March 2026 |date=15 September 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Senate Candidates - SA |url=https://results.aec.gov.au/17496/Website/SenateCandidates-17496-SA.htm |website=Virtual Tally Room |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=23 March 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260323061543/https://results.aec.gov.au/17496/Website/SenateCandidates-17496-SA.htm |archive-date=23 March 2026 |date=15 September 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> Virgo has said he joined the Labor Party and the Sex Party at the ages of 16 and 19, respectively.<ref name="Bird et al.-2026" /> In his 2026 maiden speech speech to Parliament, Virgo stated that he had begun organising rallies in support of marriage equality as a teenager.<ref name="Karakulak & Dowdell-2026" /> In 2011 he helped organise a rally outside Parliament House, Adelaide, in support of the International Day Against Homophobia, which "ended in violence after it was crashed by Christian protesters".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/gays-christians-clash-at-adelaide-protest-rally/news-story/30adb6f9a4801171c1df966d2a6b84cc|title=Gays, Christians clash at Adelaide protest rally|newspaper=The Australian|date=14 May 2011|access-date=2 April 2026|first=Belinda|last=Merhab}}</ref>
===Local government=== Virgo stood for the Mount Gambier City Council in 2022, but was unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite book |title=The South Australian Government Gazette |date=8 December 2022 |page=6855 |url=https://www.governmentgazette.sa.gov.au/2022/December/2022_084.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260316081405/https://www.governmentgazette.sa.gov.au/2022/December/2022_084.pdf |archive-date=16 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, when Ben Hood resigned from council in 2023 to take up a seat in the Legislative Council, Virgo was elected to Mount Gambier City Council via countback. Prior to this, Virgo worked at Mount Gambier Prison.<ref>{{cite news |title=Virgo fills council vacancy |url=https://sevoice.com.au/virgo-fills-council-vacancy/ |access-date=18 March 2026 |work=The SE Voice |date=11 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260318042357/https://sevoice.com.au/virgo-fills-council-vacancy/ |archive-date=18 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> As a councillor, Virgo called for the return of the Autofest motoring event to Mount Gambier, to provide an alternative to unsafe hooning on the roads.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brine |first1=Josh |last2=Bird |first2=Becc |title=Mount Gambier councillor calls for Autofest return as city struggles with hoons |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-25/mount-gambier-councillor-autofest-return-curb-hooning/102769950 |access-date=18 March 2026 |date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260318043941/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-25/mount-gambier-councillor-autofest-return-curb-hooning/102769950 |archive-date=18 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref>
===State politics=== Virgo was announced as the One Nation candidate for the MacKillop district at the 2026 state election, and took leave from council to focus on his candidacy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Virgo nomination |url=https://sevoice.com.au/virgo-nomination/ |access-date=18 March 2026 |work=The SE Voice |date=20 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260318042820/https://sevoice.com.au/virgo-nomination/ |archive-date=18 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Varcoe |first1=Charlotte |title=City councillor runs for MacKillop |url=https://borderwatch.com.au/news/2026/01/29/city-councillor-runs-for-mackillop/ |access-date=18 March 2026 |work=The Border Watch |date=29 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209084220/https://borderwatch.com.au/news/2026/01/29/city-councillor-runs-for-mackillop/ |archive-date=9 February 2026 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Following the 2026 state election, MacKillop remained in doubt for a number of days. While Nick McBride, the outgoing MP, had clearly been defeated, there was still a possibility that Virgo could be overtaken by Liberal candidate Rebekah Rosser.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Briggs |first1=Casey |title=The SA election seats to watch as vote counting continues |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-23/sa-election-nine-seats-still-in-doubt/106484296 |access-date=29 March 2026 |work=ABC News |date=22 March 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260329222925/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-23/sa-election-nine-seats-still-in-doubt/106484296 |archive-date=29 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Shepherd |first1=Tory |title=Pauline Hanson’s One Nation likely to win second South Australian lower house seat |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/27/pauline-hanson-one-nation-party-south-australian-election-second-seat-likely-ntwnfb |access-date=29 March 2026 |work=The Guardian |date=27 March 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260329223038/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/27/pauline-hanson-one-nation-party-south-australian-election-second-seat-likely-ntwnfb |archive-date=29 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, Virgo was ultimately successful, holding his lead against Rosser to become the new MP for MacKillop.<ref name="ABC News-2026">{{cite news |title=One Nation projected to win formerly-safe South Australian seat of Mackillop |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-30/mackillop-electorate-one-nation-jason-virgo/106510198 |access-date=30 March 2026 |work=ABC News |date=30 March 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260329232603/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-30/mackillop-electorate-one-nation-jason-virgo/106510198 |archive-date=29 March 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Briggs |first1=Casey |title=MacKillop - SA Election 2026 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/sa/2026/guide/mack |access-date=29 March 2026 |work=ABC News |date=30 March 2026 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260329222344/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/sa/2026/guide/mack |archive-date=29 March 2026}}</ref> As a result, he resigned from his council seat, effective 30 March.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdn.mountgambier.sa.gov.au/agendas-minutes/Minutes-Ordinary-Council-Meeting-21-April-2026-Website.pdf?v=1777016419|title=Minutes: Ordinary Council Meeting Tuesday 21 April 2026|date=21 April 2026|website=City of Mount Gambier|location=Mount Gambier, South Australia|page=19|access-date=13 May 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|au-sa-la}} {{s-bef|before=Nick McBride}} {{s-ttl|title=Member for MacKillop|years=2026–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{SA current MHAs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Virgo, Jason}} Category:21st-century Australian politicians Category:Australian Sex Party politicians Category:Living people Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly Category:One Nation members of the Parliament of South Australia Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Australian gay politicians Category:Australian LGBTQ rights activists