Key Crossbencher Nick Xenophon Has Announced He's Quitting Federal Politics

    BREAKING: Xenophon plans to run for a seat in South Australian state parliament.

    Independent senator Nick Xenophon has announced he plans to resign from the federal Senate to run for a seat in South Australian parliament.

    Xenophon made the shock announcement on Friday morning, ahead of his dual citizenship case being heard at the High Court next week.

    "I’ve decided that you can’t fix South Australia’s problems in Canberra without first fixing our broken political system back home," Xenophon said.

    "Our state politics is broken, politically bankrupt."

    Xenophon currently plays a key role holding the balance of power in the Senate crossbench. As the leader of the Nick Xenophon Team in federal parliament he leads NXT senators Skye Kakoschke-Moore and Stirling Griff, and lower house MP Rebekha Sharkie.

    The senator plans to run in the SA state election in March 2018 for the seat of Hartley under the new party name "SA-BEST". Hartley is located in Adelaide's east and has been held by Liberal Vincent Tarzia since 2014.

    SA-BEST plans to contest seats in both houses of SA Parliament, with Xenophon noting "especially in the lower house where governments are formed".

    Speculation from Liberal sources is that Xenophon is quitting to put himself in a position to form a coalition government with the states Liberal Party, and potentially take a seat in the South Australian cabinet.

    Xenophon denied on Sky News that he would take a cabinet spot, but said he was aiming for balance of power.

    "SA-BEST will go all out to at least win the balance of power in the state parliament, so we can hold, with a proverbial blow torch, whoever does form government to the highest standards of accountability, decency, honesty and good governance," Xenophon said.

    Xenophon was first elected to federal parliament as an independent in 2007. He was re-elected in 2013 and went on to form his own party in time for the 2016 election where NXT won four seats.

    Xenophon has previously served as a member of the South Australia legislative council between 1997 and 2007 under the independent "No Pokies" ticket.

    "Just as NXT has unashamedly used its position in the Senate to advance better outcomes for South Australians, SA-BEST will relentlessly use a position of influence in the state parliament to secure reforms that will lead to better government, to the more reliable and affordable services South Australians deserve," Xenophon said.

    The state Liberal MP that currently holds the seat Xenophon is chasing quickly responded to the announcement on Twitter.

    Bring it on. I'll keep working hard for the community!

    Xenophon says he will remain in the Senate until the High Court determines the outcome of his citizenship case. Xenophon is one of seven politicians to go before the High Court over whether their dual citizenship or eligibility for dual citizenship might have meant they were ineligible at the time of the election.

    Xenophon discovered he was eligible for British citizenship via his Cyprus-born father, but the government, as well as Xenophon's own lawyers have argued he should be found eligible and remain in parliament.

    "While my lawyers are confident I will succeed. Whatever the outcome, once that decision is handed down I will be in a position to leave the Senate," he said.

    He told journalists that there would be no "golden ticket" for his replacement in the event that his resignation is treated as a casual vacancy which would allow his party to pick his replacement.

    "It'll be blood, sweat, and tears. I will be working closely with whomever replaces me," he said.

    The Nick Xenophon Team's votes were crucial to the government passing media reform last month which scrapped several ownership restrictions.