Double dissolution could mean six Senate seats for Nick Xenophon’s party

A DOUBLE dissolution could deliver six Senate seats to Nick Xenophon’s party, his campaign manager says.

Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, left, and Senator Nick Xenophon giving a press conference on the sale of VDL Co. at Parliament House lawns in Hobart. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

A DOUBLE dissolution could deliver six Senate seats to Nick Xenophon’s party, his campaign manager says.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Tuesday a double dissolution — where the House of Representatives and the entire Senate are dissolved and Australia goes to the polls — was a “live option”.

There are two DD “triggers” looming — legislation on the Australian Building and Construction Commission and the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill.

If the Senate blocks them a second time, Mr Turnbull could ask the Governor-General to break the deadlock with an election.

Stirling Griff is the Nick Xenophon Team’s campaign manager and a candidate. He said a double dissolution would mean Senator Xenophon was up for election as well (usually just half the Senate goes to the polls at a time) which would help the Team’s profile.

The quota needed to get a spot would also halve, increasing the chances of getting other candidates in.

“If there is a double dissolution it means Nick is up for election, which is certainly going to assist the campaign,” he said.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ... a double dissolution is a “live option”.

Stirling Griff, the Nick Xenophon Team’s campaign manager and a candidate.

“We’d be likely to achieve at least three senators in South Australia, and depending on the preferences, potentially a further two or three interstate.”

On the chances of gaining lower house seats, he said that with Senator Xenophon as lead candidate, he would be “solidly out there campaigning”.

“That should assist everyone a little. Either way, the current polling out there indicates we should do quite well in SA,” he said.

“The most important thing for us is to represent the sensible centre and have as many people elected as possible.”

Having a clutch of senators would deliver the already influential crossbench South Australian much more power to push for his own reforms, or block those of the Government’s he disagrees with.

Nick Xenophon with the lead NSW senate candidate, Glen Frost.

The Parliament is discussing changing the way senators are elected but reforms are not likely to go through anytime soon.

While he said a double dissolution was a “live option”, Mr Turnbull still prefers a normal polling date in the second half of the year, probably in August or September.

If an election was held today, the Coalition would be returned in a thumping victory, but Mr Turnbull cautioned his colleagues against “complacency or hubris”, a senior Government source said.

“We have to win and we have to win well,” Mr Turnbull told the partyroom meeting, adding:

“We can reasonably expect an election to be at the normal time in the August to October period but that is not set in stone.”

The latest an election can be held is January 2017, although holding out that long looks very unlikely.

Any double dissolution would have to happen before May 11, which is Budget day.