Independent Senator Nick Xenophon will be one of the biggest power players in the new Federal Senate when it sits for the first time on July 1.
Xenophon will be using the crossbench to battle the Coalition and form new alliances with six new senators.
Democratic Labour Party’s John Madigan will be a useful ally to Xenophon, both having campaigned together on a range of issues from Qantas to buying Australian-made goods.
The Liberal-National coalition will have 33 senators and Labor and the Greens between them will have 35.
In the 76-seat upper house, the government will need 39 votes – meaning it will need to pick up six more votes.
The government’s newest “best friends” include three Palmer United Party senators, Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania), Glenn Lazarus (Queensland), and Dio Wang (WA), Ricky Muir from Victoria’s Motoring Enthusiast Party, the Liberal Democrats’ David Leyonhjelm (NSW), and Bob Day from Family First (SA
The most watched political relationship will be between Clive Palmer and his PUP team.
Leyonhjelm, who has spoken with all of his crossbench colleagues, says the PUP senators will start off having a party position on issues but won’t stay of a
single mind forever.
Behind the scenes, the government has appointed Senate Leader Eric Abetz and manager of government business Mitch Fifield to lead negotiations.
Fifield says that until the Senate actually sits and the senators see what they are voting on, it’s hard to know exactly what positions will be taken or what compromises will be sought.
Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong will be there to frustrate the government’s efforts and argue for opposition amendments.
It will be a steep learning curve for the new senators.
They will be required to get up to speed on complex legislation by July 7 when the Senate holds a special sitting week without the lower house.
Source: AAP.