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Nick Xenophon's X factor makes the Greens cross in South Australia Nick Xenophon's X factor makes the Greens cross in South Australia
(14 days later)
In South Australia, they call him Mr X, the high-profile politician who burst into Canberra in 2007 with a 14.8% vote and retains striking popularity among South Australian voters – so much so that speculation revolves around who will benefit from his surplus of votes, rather than whether he will retain his Senate seat, on 7 September.In South Australia, they call him Mr X, the high-profile politician who burst into Canberra in 2007 with a 14.8% vote and retains striking popularity among South Australian voters – so much so that speculation revolves around who will benefit from his surplus of votes, rather than whether he will retain his Senate seat, on 7 September.
"Some people say I've got the X factor but I don't know what the hell that means," says Nick Xenophon. "If I actually tried to analyse why people like me then maybe people wouldn't like me.""Some people say I've got the X factor but I don't know what the hell that means," says Nick Xenophon. "If I actually tried to analyse why people like me then maybe people wouldn't like me."
Born in Adelaide in 1959, Xenophon graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1981 and established himself as a lawyer in Paradise, SA, where he saw first-hand the extent of community damage caused by poker machine addiction after "pokies" were introduced to the state in the mid-90s.Born in Adelaide in 1959, Xenophon graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1981 and established himself as a lawyer in Paradise, SA, where he saw first-hand the extent of community damage caused by poker machine addiction after "pokies" were introduced to the state in the mid-90s.
In 1997 he stood for the SA legislative council as an independent on a "no pokies" ticket and secured a seat largely through preferences, speaking out on consumer rights, taxation and overpaid politicians, and helping to secure legislative changes that enabled asbestos victims to obtain compensation through the South Australian government – earning him the title of "media terrorist" from a senior minister for forcing parliament to pass the law quickly.In 1997 he stood for the SA legislative council as an independent on a "no pokies" ticket and secured a seat largely through preferences, speaking out on consumer rights, taxation and overpaid politicians, and helping to secure legislative changes that enabled asbestos victims to obtain compensation through the South Australian government – earning him the title of "media terrorist" from a senior minister for forcing parliament to pass the law quickly.
"But pokies remain the litmus test for me," Xenophon says. "If a government is willing to sacrifice its citizens for the sake of poker machine taxes, then you know there's something seriously wrong with that government.""But pokies remain the litmus test for me," Xenophon says. "If a government is willing to sacrifice its citizens for the sake of poker machine taxes, then you know there's something seriously wrong with that government."
In 2006, as a result of his appeal to "everyday South Australians" as well as a growing reputation for amusing media stunts – such as using Max the Wonder dog to annoy former state premier Mike Rann by pointing out the dog would not "roll over when it came to SA's interests" – Xenophon was re-elected without preferences, achieving a staggering 20.5% of the statewide vote.In 2006, as a result of his appeal to "everyday South Australians" as well as a growing reputation for amusing media stunts – such as using Max the Wonder dog to annoy former state premier Mike Rann by pointing out the dog would not "roll over when it came to SA's interests" – Xenophon was re-elected without preferences, achieving a staggering 20.5% of the statewide vote.
He successfully entered federal politics the following year and has since widened his focus to become a "champion" for agriculture and horticulture in SA on issues such as food labelling, the Coles and Woolworths duopoly, mining leases on agriculture land, and water security.He successfully entered federal politics the following year and has since widened his focus to become a "champion" for agriculture and horticulture in SA on issues such as food labelling, the Coles and Woolworths duopoly, mining leases on agriculture land, and water security.
More recently, he has supported the Carly Ryan Foundation in Stirling – an online protection network founded by Sonya Ryan, whose 15-year-old daughter was murdered by an online predator at Port Elliot in 2007. "It's not just about turning up. It's about pushing to try and bring about change," Xenophon says. "I worry about people. If I wasn't in politics, I'd probably end up as a documentary film-maker. I'd probably be a more subdued version of Mike Moore."More recently, he has supported the Carly Ryan Foundation in Stirling – an online protection network founded by Sonya Ryan, whose 15-year-old daughter was murdered by an online predator at Port Elliot in 2007. "It's not just about turning up. It's about pushing to try and bring about change," Xenophon says. "I worry about people. If I wasn't in politics, I'd probably end up as a documentary film-maker. I'd probably be a more subdued version of Mike Moore."
His vote could be crucial if a Coalition government is elected and sends its plan to repeal the carbon tax to the Senate. Tony Abbott has suggested a Coalition government would trigger a new double-dissolution election if the Senate rejects the repeal. Xenophon supports repeal, but only to replace it with something else, and he does not support the Coalition's Direct Action plan on climate change either.His vote could be crucial if a Coalition government is elected and sends its plan to repeal the carbon tax to the Senate. Tony Abbott has suggested a Coalition government would trigger a new double-dissolution election if the Senate rejects the repeal. Xenophon supports repeal, but only to replace it with something else, and he does not support the Coalition's Direct Action plan on climate change either.
But Xenophon's rise has not been totally smooth. He was heavily criticised in 2011 for using parliamentary privilege to publicly accuse a South Australian Catholic priest of rape after he deemed the church's investigation unsatisfactory.But Xenophon's rise has not been totally smooth. He was heavily criticised in 2011 for using parliamentary privilege to publicly accuse a South Australian Catholic priest of rape after he deemed the church's investigation unsatisfactory.
And the Greens have attacked him for favouring the Liberals on preferences – a move the party says could cost Sarah Hanson-Young her Senate seat.And the Greens have attacked him for favouring the Liberals on preferences – a move the party says could cost Sarah Hanson-Young her Senate seat.
Hanson-Young is in many ways the other South Australian Senate star, having become the youngest ever senator in 2007 at the age of 25.Hanson-Young is in many ways the other South Australian Senate star, having become the youngest ever senator in 2007 at the age of 25.
Like Xenophon, she studied at the University of Adelaide, gaining a degree in social sciences before moving into politics after working as environment officer and president for the university's student association, as well as for Amnesty International as an SA and Northern Territory campaign manager.Like Xenophon, she studied at the University of Adelaide, gaining a degree in social sciences before moving into politics after working as environment officer and president for the university's student association, as well as for Amnesty International as an SA and Northern Territory campaign manager.
She believes she has been able to engage with the public on new levels as a young senator, such as by being the "first MP on Twitter", at the same time as having to overcome a lack of respect from "members of older parties who didn't like having a young person in parliament treated as their equal".She believes she has been able to engage with the public on new levels as a young senator, such as by being the "first MP on Twitter", at the same time as having to overcome a lack of respect from "members of older parties who didn't like having a young person in parliament treated as their equal".
But after relying on preferences to gain her seat in 2007, she is now feeling the heat and says Xenophon's preferences are designed to give the Liberal leader, Tony Abbott, a "helping hand".But after relying on preferences to gain her seat in 2007, she is now feeling the heat and says Xenophon's preferences are designed to give the Liberal leader, Tony Abbott, a "helping hand".
"Tony Abbott is coming to SA to get my seat and Nick's preferences put Tony in the box seat for control of the Senate," Hanson-Young says."Tony Abbott is coming to SA to get my seat and Nick's preferences put Tony in the box seat for control of the Senate," Hanson-Young says.
Xenophon has fielded a split ticket that gives preferences to both Labor and the Liberals evenly, placing Hanson-Young at 37th place on his "right-leaning" ticket – well below both major parties, the independents and others – and below the Labor party and independents at 10th place on his "left-leaning" ticket.Xenophon has fielded a split ticket that gives preferences to both Labor and the Liberals evenly, placing Hanson-Young at 37th place on his "right-leaning" ticket – well below both major parties, the independents and others – and below the Labor party and independents at 10th place on his "left-leaning" ticket.
Haydon Manning, a politics and public policy associate professor at Flinders University, says Xenophon has made a "fairly simple" observation, in that most of his supporters are either Liberal or Labor voters, and was avoiding the mistake the Democrats made a decade ago when they leaned too far to the left and lost Liberal preferences.Haydon Manning, a politics and public policy associate professor at Flinders University, says Xenophon has made a "fairly simple" observation, in that most of his supporters are either Liberal or Labor voters, and was avoiding the mistake the Democrats made a decade ago when they leaned too far to the left and lost Liberal preferences.
While Hanson-Young says she will blame Xenophon if she loses her Senate seat to a Liberal, she remains positive about her prospects.While Hanson-Young says she will blame Xenophon if she loses her Senate seat to a Liberal, she remains positive about her prospects.
"We've averaged out the public polls [Morgan, Nielsen, Essential and Newspoll] over the last month and I'm on 12.1%, which is very good and a significant increase from when I ran in 2007," she said."We've averaged out the public polls [Morgan, Nielsen, Essential and Newspoll] over the last month and I'm on 12.1%, which is very good and a significant increase from when I ran in 2007," she said.
"But you don't read about that in the Murdoch press. If anything, the News Limited papers have done everything they can not to talk about the fact that the Greens' support is at record highs, particularly in SA.""But you don't read about that in the Murdoch press. If anything, the News Limited papers have done everything they can not to talk about the fact that the Greens' support is at record highs, particularly in SA."
The Greens' average polling is 13.6% in Victoria, 8.5% in New South Wales, 9.1% in Western Australia and 7% in Queensland, and the Greens leader, Christine Milne, is confident her party will retain all its seats across the country. But she admits it will be a tough fight for the senators in WA and SA, largely because of preference deals cut among the independents and minor parties.The Greens' average polling is 13.6% in Victoria, 8.5% in New South Wales, 9.1% in Western Australia and 7% in Queensland, and the Greens leader, Christine Milne, is confident her party will retain all its seats across the country. But she admits it will be a tough fight for the senators in WA and SA, largely because of preference deals cut among the independents and minor parties.
Clement Macintyre, head of the school of history and politics at the University of Adelaide, says a third Labor seat in the Senate is likely to be eliminated fairly quickly at the election, leaving half of Xenophon's preferences to flow on to Hanson-Young anyway, while she may still increase her percentage off the back of Labor percentages as well.Clement Macintyre, head of the school of history and politics at the University of Adelaide, says a third Labor seat in the Senate is likely to be eliminated fairly quickly at the election, leaving half of Xenophon's preferences to flow on to Hanson-Young anyway, while she may still increase her percentage off the back of Labor percentages as well.
And Hanson-Young's campaign has received a boost from Malcolm Fraser, the former Liberal PM.And Hanson-Young's campaign has received a boost from Malcolm Fraser, the former Liberal PM.
Fraser, now divorced from the Liberals and an advocate for asylum seekers, recently featured on a Greens advertisement endorsing Hanson-Young as a "reasonable and fair-minded" voice and warned of the perils of allowing either major party to control both houses of parliament.Fraser, now divorced from the Liberals and an advocate for asylum seekers, recently featured on a Greens advertisement endorsing Hanson-Young as a "reasonable and fair-minded" voice and warned of the perils of allowing either major party to control both houses of parliament.
Hanson-Young was driven to enter politics after the infamous Tampa affair in 2001, when the then Liberal government denied a Norwegian ship that had rescued 438 distressed asylum seekers from entering Australian waters.Hanson-Young was driven to enter politics after the infamous Tampa affair in 2001, when the then Liberal government denied a Norwegian ship that had rescued 438 distressed asylum seekers from entering Australian waters.
"And yet the recent refugee debate, particularly during this election, has been the nastiest I've ever experienced," Hanson-Young says."And yet the recent refugee debate, particularly during this election, has been the nastiest I've ever experienced," Hanson-Young says.
"It's a real race to the bottom and a competition to be the cruellest – much worse than it was back in 2001 – and voters from both major parties have been coming up to me consistently out in public, to say how disappointed they are, how deeply ashamed.""It's a real race to the bottom and a competition to be the cruellest – much worse than it was back in 2001 – and voters from both major parties have been coming up to me consistently out in public, to say how disappointed they are, how deeply ashamed."
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