Poor old South Australia is threatened with even more Left wing destruction now that Senator Nick Xenephon has decided to resign from federal politics and return to the SA parliament by contesting the seat of Hartley. Absolutely nothing to do with his iffy citizenship, which is currently before the High Court, of course!

Nick started his political career in the Legislative Council in SA as a one-trick pony on pokies and gambling. When he was elected, there were 9,000 poky machines in SA – there are now 13,000. Not very effective, were you Nick.

The lefter-than-the-Greens senator has refused to say which side of politics he will support, but his history tells that he will never support anything vaguely conservative (which is the current Opposition - very vague), so we could be in for another 4 years – making it 20 straight – of appalling socialist Labor if there is a close result. The Liberal party is not much chop, but another 4 years of Labor could see a mass exodus from the state.

Chris Kenny, writing in 'The Australian', describes the man as “an irritant” offering “no governing alternatives”; he taps into “other people's grievances to maximise a protest vote”, which is the last thing SA needs – more whining to Canberra for hand outs instead of doing something ourselves.

Resign from Federal politics by all means, Nick; but leave South Australia alone.

Regrettably for Australia, politicians with party affiliation are so on the nose with voters that I believe nearly anyone with a public profile whether it be sports or movies etc that can run as independent will give the current fools a good run for there money and possibly succeed.

Trump, Duterte, brexit the people just had enough.

Philip,

Xenophon is no longer an independent; he now has his own party machine, albiet still small, and he will be running candidates. The Xenophon whatever-he-is-calling-it group already has a seat in the Adelaide Hills. Added to this, he has always been a man of the Left, which in my view precludes him from being seen as an independent, just as a Right person could not be considered independent. We had an 'independent' in SA until died, and he achieved nothing. I cannot see parties dying out and, therefore, independents are useless.

You don't have to vote for him if you don't like him, so stop whining, Whiny McWhineface.

“an irritant” offering “no governing alternatives”; he taps into “other people's grievances to maximise a protest vote”

Are we talking about Pauline Hanson, no, maybe its Cory Bernardi or even David Leyonhjelm, could the serial irritant be Derryn Hinch or Jacqui Lambie. Depending how you view politics the list could be a very long one.

As Toni said "You don't have to vote for him if you don't like him

The court will soon decide whether Nick Xenophon is a triple citizen, but he certainly is a dual citizen and as such he ought to serve his primary allegiance, give up his Australian citizenship and lead South Australia to independence.

Too long have South Australia been ruled by outsider Australian parties, such as "Labor" and "Liberals", along with their debilitating Australian values and interests: Nick Xenophon will change that!

No more whining to Canberra for hand outs - South Australians can help themselves as free people and would be far better off without the shackles of the Australian commonwealth.