SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon hints at being Premier, adds Libs are “lying” about not wanting to deal with him

SA BEST Leader Nick Xenophon has left the door open to becoming Premier if his party claims enough seats, and says Liberals are “lying” about not being willing to deal with him.

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SA BEST Leader Nick Xenophon has left the door open to becoming Premier if his party claims enough seats, and says Liberals are “lying” about not being willing to deal with him.

In an interview with The Advertiser with less than three months until the state election and with support for his start-up party eclipsing the majors, Mr Xenophon has indicated his ultimate political ambition could reach further than just becoming a kingmaker.

The former senator said he was “overwhelmed” by the support received since announcing his return to State Parliament. He said SA Best MPs would not take ministries as junior partners in a minority government as the trappings of office often stymied hunger for big reforms.

However, he said it would be “completely different if we are not talking about minority government” and SA Best emerged from the election with the most seats of any party.

“I’m here to change the state and I think the most realistic ambition right now is to change the state from a balance of power position,” he said.

“That’s at a minimum, and let’s see what happens and what sort of momentum we have in the new year.

“If you have more votes than any other party, then obviously by definition you are looking at forming government. I don’t want to get ahead of myself and jinx it.”

Mr Xenophon has named 11 state election candidates to date, with an ambition to field a total of 20. Twenty-four seats are needed for a party to govern in their own right.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall has publicly declared that he will make no deals with Mr Xenophon and would refuse to lead a minority government that relied on SA Best’s support.

Mr Xenophon said he believed the Liberals would be willing to talk after election day.

Smoking hot ... Nick Xenophon at Yianni's on Hindley in Adelaide. AAP Image/MATT LOXTON

“Steven Marshall is both lying to himself and to the electorate when he says that,” Mr Xenophon said. “It lacks credibility and shows a political naivety on his part.

“Whatever Steven says about not wanting to sit down with me, I’m willing to sit down with him, as well as I am with (Premier) Jay Weatherill.

“I don’t think he really means it.”

He added the Liberals were not “unanimous” about the strategy of rejecting SA Best.

However, Mr Xenophon said he expected the major parties to gang up against him in the eastern suburbs seat of Hartley and swap preferences in a bid to end his political career.

“My prediction is, on election day in the seat of Hartley there will be how to vote cards handed out ... that will direct preferences to each other,” he said.

“Expect to see that.

“How negative they go and how dirty and desperate they get is up to them.”

He also pledged to remain heavily involved in state politics if SA Best MPs were elected to Parliament but a Labor or Liberal candidate defeated him for the seat of Hartley.

“If there are any members elected under my name and I’m running for State Parliament, I will still have a very strong involvement,” Mr Xenophon said.

“It’s all about fixing the state.

“Whatever happens, the major parties won’t be getting rid of me. I have made this move because I am so desperately worried about SA.”

He also flagged plans to release energy and health policies before the election, as the big two parties accuse him of criticising other people’s ideas rather than developing his own.

“There’s a real sense for change. People are sick of the major parties,” Mr Xenophon said.

“What we’re looking at is breaking the two-party duopoly in this country.

“It will be a political earthquake, not just in SA but around the nation.”