Daniel Wills: Two SA Best MPs elected in Nick Xenophon’s wake could decide the fate of Premier Steven Marshall’s reform agenda

SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon has been vanquished — but two MPs elected on his ticket will play a huge role in supporting or blocking the new State Government’s agenda. Our State Political Editor explains what the Upper House arithmetic means for Steven Marshall’s policy priorities.

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SA Best fell far short of hyped expectations that fuelled (and cruelled) it during the state election campaign, but is nonetheless set to have a major impact in the new Parliament.

While former senator Nick Xenophon failed in his bold bid for a seat in the Lower House, and to be the kingmaker deciding who formed government, two MPs put into the Upper House on his ticket loom as gatekeepers on Premier Steven Marshall’s reform agenda.

New Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas is the most critical figure in deciding how much of the State Government’s plans on shop trading or rate capping become law. Through simple support or negotiation, he can deliver the numbers needed for a majority.

Former senator Nick Xenophon with SA Best MPs Frank Pangallo and Connie Bonaros. Picture: AAP / Tracey Nearmy

He’s offered a minor concession on shop trading and an open mind on rate capping. Labor is set to get behind payroll tax cuts and is considering backing new transparency moves.

But, where Mr Malinauskas refuses to deal, Mr Marshall will be forced to barter with a crossbench of five. A combination of three votes from two Greens, independent John Darley or the two new SA Best MPs in Connie Bonaros and Frank Pangallo is a passing coalition.

On issues of transparency and disclosure, the Greens and Liberals have often found themselves unlikely bedfellows.

The Greens look like reliable votes on securing open hearings of the Independent Commission Against Corruption and shield laws for journalists.

But they’ll be hard to win on the broader economic reform agenda that’s headlined by cutting taxes, regulation and public spending in a bid to kickstart the state’s private sector.

Mr Darley, a former ally of Mr Xenophon before the pair parted ways in a dramatic bust up last year, has generally been friendly to notions of pulling the public service into line and reducing costs on businesses and households. The Liberals are likely to go to him first as they seek to build the numbers needed to get controversial legislation across the line.

On matters where Labor and the Greens align to block, SA Best then becomes critical.

They went to the election opposed to rate capping and shop trading deregulation. Whether they hold to those positions is yet to be seen and the door is being kept slightly ajar.

Mr Xenophon, who’s retreated from the public eye and has no elected public position, remains a key adviser to the SA Best bloc of two that was sent to Parliament with his backing.

It may be they follow his example from the Senate, which was often to approve measures which were generally popular while demanding wins on details and asserting a watchdog role.

These two are just beginning a pair of eight year terms, and could continue to be powerbrokers beyond even the next election in 2022. Whatever Mr Xenophon does after recovering from a bruising campaign, he’s still got a big influence in SA from the shadows.

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