Nick Xenophon to demand cash for Arrium, manufacturing if hung Parliament is returned

NICK Xenophon has ruled out serving as a minister in a minority government and revealed his price for support in forming government if a hung Parliament is returned.

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NICK Xenophon has ruled out serving as a minister in a minority government and will demand more help for steelmaker Arrium and manufacturing industries in exchange for supporting a Malcolm Turnbull or Bill Shorten-led government.

Senator Xenophon on Sunday initially ignored an attempt by the Prime Minister to contact him by text message after failing to recognise Mr Turnbull’s phone number.

Veteran Queensland crossbencher Bob Katter said he would demand financial support for big power and development projects in his state while other independents declined to detail their negotiating positions.

The election of Rebekha Sharkie to the House of Representatives will place the Nick Xenophon Team in a powerful position if the Coalition misses out on getting the majority it needs to government in its own right.

Senator Xenophon, Ms Sharkie and newly-elected senators Stirling Griff and Skye Kakoschke-Moore said they would work together to decide which party to support if a hung parliament was returned.

“We will support the side the can form a stable government and that can listen to us in respect of key concerns which we think reflect the concerns of middle Australia,’’ Senator Xenophon said.

“Being concerned about manufacturing jobs, being concerned about farming jobs, being concerned about government accountability and of course predatory gambling.”

All of the NXT members ruled out accepting a position in a Coalition or Labor government.

“We’ve got a job to do, that’s not how I would operate,’’ Senator Xenophon said.

The party planned to contact Arrium administrator Mark Mentha to discuss what assistance the company needed.

Andrea Broadfoot, the NXT candidate who still has a chance of winning the seat of Grey, said the government bill for saving Arrium could be high.

“It needs a total investment of $300 million where you can ensure the viability of the business, cut costs within the business, and diversify their ability to manufacture rail,” Ms Broadfoot said.

“You could make sure you protect the company against the volatility of the iron ore price by putting in a beneficiation plant.”

Senator Xenophon and Ms Sharkie both spoke briefly to Mr Turnbull on Sunday and Senator Xenophon also planned to speak to other crossbench senators and MPs.

Victorian independent Cathy McGowan declined to reveal what she would ask for in exchange for supporting a minority government and Tasmanian indepdent Andrew Wilkie ruled out backing either major party.

Greens Adam Bandt would almost certainly support Labor.

Mr Katter wanted crossbench MPs to increase their power by forming a negotiating bloc.

Despite NXT’s success in the election, the number of South Australians who voted for the party fell by about 3 per cent on Saturday.

Senator Xenophon blamed Labor advertisements which accused the party of threatening penalty rates for the lower vote.

He and his new colleagues planned to try and to develop a consensus when deciding how they should vote on issues in Parliament.

They were likely to divide up policy portfolios between themselves.