Xenophon quits Senate for tilt at state seat

SENIOR Turnbull Government ministers from South Australia have wasted no time trying to discredit Nick Xenophon after the senator said he would quit federal parliament for another run at state politics.

The Senate powerbroker, whose future in Canberra was already under a cloud given constitutional questions over his citizenship, has likened the move to climbing Mount Everest without an oxygen tank.

“This will be the toughest political fight of my life,” he said in Adelaide yesterday.

“But I’m up for that challenge because I love our state, our people and I believe that if you are in politics you should be there to make a difference.”

Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne took to social media to argue “a vote for Xenophon risks 20 years of Labor”.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham labelled Senator Xenophon’s exit a giant publicity stunt.

One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, who is also facing possible eviction from parliament following the High Court citizenship case, was quick to dance on his old foe’s federal political grave.

Senator Roberts said it was “wonderful” that the South Australian crossbencher was bowing out.

“Now he’ll be able to get out of horse trading and he’ll be held accountable Australia,” he said.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson- Young wished her fellow South Australian good luck.

“We need more non- major party MPs in lower houses chambers. More diversity in houses of government is good for democracy,” she said.

Senator Xenophon said he could not fix South Australia’s problems in Canberra without first fixing the broken political system at home. in South