He’s was born in New Zealand but the man expected to replace Nick Xenophon in the Senate promises he isn’t a dual-citizen

A KIWI-born submariner who grew up in Whyalla is tipped to replace Nick Xenophon in the Senate.

HE was born in New Zealand, but the former submariner tipped to replace Nick Xenophon in the Senate has made sure he doesn’t have dual-citizenship.

Rex Patrick, an adviser to Senator Xenophon, is the favourite to fill the upcoming South Australian Senate vacancy.

Senator Xenophon is planning to resign next week, creating a casual vacancy in Parliament.

The Nick Xenophon Team will nominate a candidate who will be rubber-stamped by the SA Parliament.

Mr Patrick’s family moved from New Zealand to Melbourne and then Whyalla when he was a young boy.

He served in the navy, including on submarines, for more than a decade before working in the private sector.

Former submariner Rex Patrick is tipped to replace Nick Xenophon in the Senate.

Mr Patrick joined Senator Xenophon’s office last year.

He came under scrutiny after revealing he had been given a data stick containing secret information about French-designed Indian submarines.

In recent weeks, Mr Patrick sought advice to ensure he wasn’t a New Zealand citizen and was eligible to be appointed to Parliament.

If Senator Xenophon had been disqualified from the Senate by the High Court, his seat would have been filled by a recount of ballot papers.

This would likely have resulted in businessman and NXT number four candidate Tim Storer winning the seat.

Senator Xenophon on Friday said he was relieved that the High Court had ruled that the British Overseas Citizenship he had unwittingly inherited from his father Theo was not a form of United Kingdom citizenship recognised by the Australian Constitution.

“The suggestion that I was ineligible as a colonial Pom was something that horrified me and my father who left Cyprus in order to get away from British occupation 66 years ago,’’ Senator Xenophon said.

Senator Xenophon said his nine years in federal Parliament had been “incredibly satisfying” but he was looking forward to running for the state seat of Hartley.

“I want to do all I can to fix the broken state of politics in South Australia,’’ he said.

Senator Xenophon said it would be up to the replacement senator, Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie and senators Skye Kakoschke-Moore and Stirling Griff, to elect an NXT federal leader from among themselves.

“I think you will find that there will be spokespeople for various pieces of legislation for various portfolio responsibilities and I will be bobbing my head up from time to time, mainly from Adelaide, speaking about issues,’’ he said.