- No Pokies
-
Nick Xenophon in September 2008.
No Pokies is an independent South Australian Legislative Council ticket that contested the 1997, 2002, and 2006 statewide legislative council elections. Poker machines or "pokies" are the Australian version of slot machines.
Independents elected from this ticket consist of:
- Nick Xenophon, barrister and anti-gambling campaigner, elected in 1997 on 2.9 percent with preferences and again in 2006 on 20.5 percent
- Ann Bressington, anti-drugs campaigner, elected in 2006 as Xenophon's first of two running mates
- John Darley, former valuer-general, third running mate in 2006 was appointed on 21 November 2007 to replace outgoing MP Nick Xenophon.
Xenophon's vote at the election came approximately equally from Labor and Liberal party voters.[1]
Contents
Federal politics
Xenophon resigned from the South Australian Legislative Council in early October 2007 to stand for the Australian Senate as an independent at the 2007 federal election in which he was successful, on a primary vote of 14.78 percent.[2] ABC election analyst Antony Green had stated prior to the election that Xenophon would win a seat, while Centrebet speculated his odds would start on a favourable $1.50 for and $2.70 against. Nick Minchin "urged people not to vote for Mr Xenophon",[3] with the Liberal Party's 2006 upper house vote only 5.5 percent higher, and polled lower than Xenophon in some booths.[4]
Xenophon's federal platform consists of anti-gambling, pro-consumer protection, attention to the water crisis, ratifying Kyoto, opposition against what he calls a decrease in state rights, and opposition to WorkChoices.[1] His addition resulted in holding the balance of power in the Senate along with the Australian Greens and Family First's Steve Fielding. Xenophon has been reported in the media as "left-of-centre",[5] whilst Hansard reveals that Xenophon and the Greens have found common ground on a number of issues.[6]
Parliamentarians
Federal
- Senator Nick Xenophon (SA), 2008-current (elected in 2007)
State
South Australia
- John Darley MLC, 2007-current
- Ann Bressington MLC, 2006-current
- Nick Xenophon MLC, 1997–2007
References
- ^ a b Fearful of Xenophon in Senate - National - theage.com.au
- ^ Senate State First Preferences By Candidate
- ^ No Pokies MP odds-on for Senate seat - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
- ^ South Australia State Election 2006. The Poll Vault: Xenophon looking good. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
- ^ Doherty, Ben (18 October 2007). "Recognise these men? They may hold balance of power". The Age (Melbourne, Australia). http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/10/17/1192300859185.html. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
- ^ Smith, Tony (December 2008). "New fangs for the platy-tiger? The Senate and the Rudd Government in 2008". Democratic Audit of Australia. ISSN 1835-6559. http://arts.anu.edu.au/democraticaudit/papers/200812smith_senate.pdf. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
External links
- Nick Xenophon for the Senate 2007
- 2002 No Pokies upper house preferential legislative council ticket.
- 2006 No Pokies upper house preferential legislative council ticket.
Categories:- Political parties in Australia
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