MOVEMENTS IN THE SENATE

The Senate started the year with changes in people and in political parties including:

• Former Army Major General, Senator Jim Molan, was sworn in as Senator for NSW
• South Australian Senator Lucy Guichi announced she would join the Liberals
• Senator the Hon George Brandis gave his valedictory speech with his replacement still to be determined
• Queensland Senator Fraser Anning confirmed that he will sit as an independent, formally severing his ties with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party
• Senator Fraser Anning also joined an informal (and yet to be named) caucus with Senator Cory Bernardi and Senator David Leyonhjelm, and
• former NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally is just waiting for the procedural steps to be concluded before she can be sworn in as Senator for NSW, replacing Sam Dastyari.

In citizenship news, the High Court approved Devonport Mayor Steve Martin to replace for Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, which has the effect of also confirming former Tourism Minister Richard Colbeck is eligible to return to the Senate. Mr Colbeck will replace the former Senate President Stephen Parry?—?all are from Tasmania. Mr Martin has refused to stand aside for Jacquie Lambie to return, who has now removed him from the Jacqui Lambie Network.

Following these changes, the only remaining Senate vacancy is that of former Senator for South Australian Skye Kakoschke-Moore, who is waiting on the High Court decision whether she is now eligible to be appointed into the vacancy (created by her resignation).

The Senate Crossbench is now: 11

– 3?—?Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (PHON) Senator’s Hanson, Burston and Georgiou,

– 3?—?Nick Xenophon Team (NXT) Senator’s Griff, Patrick, plus the vacancy left by former Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore

– 1?—?Australian Conservatives Senator Cory Bernardi

– 1?—?Independent Senator Fraser Anning

– 1?—?Liberal Democrats Senator Leyonhjelm

– 1?—?Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party Senator Derryn Hinch

– 1 Independent?—?the soon to be new Senator Steve Martin

What this means

If the Greens (9) and Labor (26) vote together (35), the Government (30, with Senator Guichi) require 9 (of the 11) Crossbench votes to pass legislation.