Xenophon heads team of PUP rebels and others cross benchers

A RIFT in the Palmer United Party has rocked the Senate, with Nick Xenophon’s growing coalition of outsiders now working together to vote down a controversial bill.

The Coalition of the outsiders is growing, with Senator John Madigan, Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Labor Senator Sam Dastyari, Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party Senator Ricky Muir, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Palmer United Party Senator Jacqui Lambie voting down government legislation today.

TUMULT in the Palmer United Party Senate ranks has led to creation of a new force making the balance of power decisions in the Upper House.

It’s mainly a coalition of outsiders but they call themselves the Coalition of Common Sense.

And today they tested their power by showing they were set to roll the Government on its controversial financial advice regulations.

The spokesman is South Australian independent Nick Xenophon but alongside him is Labor senator Sam Dastyari. They were joined today by the DLP’s John Madigan and the Greens Peter Whish-Wilson.

Its latest recruits were Jacqui Lambie who remains in PUP but appears estranged from her party colleagues after being demoted from deputy leader in the Senate today, and Motoring Enthusiasts’ Party’s Ricky Muir who usually votes with the PUPs.

Both had switched their votes on the financial regulation issue.

Nick Xenophon’s coalition of outsiders is growing, with Ricky Muir and Jacqui Lambie surprising the government and voting against their controversial Financial Advice regulations legislation.

PUP senators Dio Wang and Glenn Lazarus support the Government’s financial advice regulations after a deal negotiated by founder Clive Palmer.

The Coalition government today was caught by surprise by this smaller coalition which, if it stays together, could decide what gets through the Upper House.

It “apparently happened overnight,” said Government Senate Leader Eric Abetz.

“Certain cross benchers have been seduced to change their vote,” he said.

This was a reference to Senator Lambie and Senator Ricky Muir.

But the Coalition of Common Sense wasn’t an overnight sensation. It was the product of weeks of planning with Senator Xenophon and Senator Dastyari keeping in touch with Senator Lambie and Senator Muir.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten today said the group had sent Prime Minister Tony Abbott a wake-up call.

“I am extremely concerned that despite tens of thousands of investors losing their money, the Abbott Government remains determined to weaken — rather than tighten — consumer protections,” said Mr Shorten, referring to “scandals involving Storm Financial, TimberCorp, the Commonwealth Bank, Trio and Westpoint”.

“Today should be a wake-up call for the Prime Minister — when will he finally get the message that his changes are doomed?”

Originally published as Xenophon heads team of PUP rebels and others cross benchers