Senator quits for state tilt

SENIOR Turnbull Government ministers from South Australia have wasted no time in discrediting Nick Xenophon after the senator announced he will 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 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.”

Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, the member for Sturt, took to social media to argue “a vote for Xenophon risks 20 years of Labor”.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham cited Senator Xenophon’s previous claim that the action was in Canberra, and the “feds” control more and more power. “What’s changed since you said this to justify cutting short a term in state parliament for the Senate?” he tweeted.

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” the South Australian crossbencher was bowing out. “Now he’ll be able to get out of horse trading and he’ll be held accountable in South Australia,” he told Sky News.

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