The Liberals’ worst kept secret is officially out of the bag with Frank Pangallo unveiled as the party’s new candidate for the SA seat of Waite.

He’d been described as a star recruit who could win back the former blue-ribbon seat, which currently sits on a narrow margin of 4 per cent to Labor.

But the tide will need to turn dramatically given Labor’s dominance in all opinion polls.

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The launch had all the flair and colour you would expect from the former Today Tonight reporter.

Frank was fearless in his pursuit of truth and justice when he won over Channel 7 audiences and is promising the same approach to his new political ambition.

He’s been given a Liberal licence to be a bulldog in their ranks and take aim at Labor and the Premier.

Sunday’s Pangallo unveiling didn’t quite go without a hitch.

When the camera operators asked for handshake shot with Frank and Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia, the boss was left hanging for several seconds and his candidate reached out the hand of friendship to everyone else first.

Tarzia had to awkwardly wait in line with his hand outstretched for the eventual shot of them warmly clasping each other.

But that was a minor hiccup described for the former foot-in-the-door journo as the ultimate beat up, adding that he knows a beat up when he sees one.

He was eager to jump back on the Liberal messaging.

“The Liberals have approached me over a period of time, and I was serious about joining them,” Pangallo said.

He’s no fan of Labor or the Premier, who has accused the 70-year-old of being not a face of the future.

Peter Malinauskas even questioned the Libs’ strategy.

“The Premier was ageist,” Pangallo said.

“He went in boots and all making an issue of my age, that I wasn’t the future.

“He said people of my vintage had no right in public life or serving the public.

“Ageism is as bad as racism and discrimination and there are laws against that.

“Quite frankly, I’m not going to make my age an election issue and I’m not going to exploit it for political purposes against his youth and inexperience.”

Pangallo’s decision to nail his colours to the blue Liberal mast has caused derision within other Labor ranks.

“I thought it was bizarre that Frank’s always held himself out in the Legislate Council as an Independent or a minor party member,” Treasurer Stephen Mullighan told ABC Breakfast radio today.

“He would haul up the major parties with things that he didn’t agree with, now he apparently agrees with them.”

The political biffo is likely to extend all the way to the election in March next year.

‘Fearless Frank’ has thrown politeness to one side saying he doesn’t care if he’s the enemy of the Labor Party — in fact he welcomes it.

Some say the biggest challenge, other than winning the seat of Waite, will be keeping Pangallo and the Liberal Party united.

The last thing the Libs need is a sitting member falling out and returning to the cross bench for the rest of his political term.

Mike Smithson is weekend presenter and political analyst for 7 News Adelaide.