Transcript

ELEANOR HALL: South Australia's No Pokies Senate candidate, Nick Xenophon, says he's stunned and disappointed about a scathing attack launched against him by his former running mate.

South Australia's Upper House MP, Ann Bressington, used State Parliament yesterday to describe Mr Xenophon as more about stunts than substance, saying that once the publicity is over, he abandons the people he's promised to help.

Nick Xenophon says was shocked by the personal attack.

In Adelaide, Nance Haxton reports.

NANCE HAXTON: He's best known outside of South Australia for his No Pokies stance and his colourful stunts.

But the former South Australian Upper House MP Nick Xenophon is now trying his luck as an independent candidate for the Senate.

Given that he snared more than 20 per cent of the vote in the state election just over 18 months ago, many political pundits had given him a good chance of becoming the first Independent MP to be voted into the Senate since Brian Harradine.

But when State Parliament held a special joint sitting to elect his replacement, Nick Xenophon's former colleague, Ann Bressington, stole the limelight.

Ms Bressington was elected to parliament as the number two on Mr Xenophon's ticket.

But the anti-drugs campaigner did not hold back in a stinging attack on her former colleague and running mate, saying Mr Xenophon was more about stunts than substance, and also questioning whether his well-publicised health problems would worsen with the rigours of the federal arena.

ANN BRESSINGTON: This anti-politician politician moves and shakes better than most of them. Nick has had some achievements in politics, but I'm sure that others members in here will tell you of the number of disillusioned people that come to our door and ring us up, that once the publicity is over, he's gone.

NANCE HAXTON: Nick Xenophon says he is shocked and dismayed by the attack.

NICK XENOPHON: I'm really hurt and bewildered by this. I thought I had a good relationship with Anne, and I just don't know where this is coming from. The whole thing just seems bizarre and out of character with my dealings with her. I just don't understand this at all.

NANCE HAXTON: She says basically that you're a politician that's all show and no substance. Do you know what this could be relating to?

NICK XENOPHON: Look, I don't know where she gets that. She should know that the work I've done over the years that I fight for people and causes, on pokies, for victims of crime, for asbestos victims and a whole range of issues.

I just hope South Australians will judge me for what I am, for what I've done in the last 10 years, for what I believe I can do in the Senate.

I can do a lot more. I can help people on a whole range of issues and this to me is a pretty awful distraction from what are important issues that are facing South Australia.

NANCE HAXTON: Lower House Independent MP, Kris Hanna, sprang to the defence of his former state independent colleague.

KRIS HANNA: Well, clearly the timing of the comments indicates she was trying to injure Nick's chances of getting elected to the Senate. So she obviously is not too pleased with him. I think he'll succeed anyway, but she's obviously been out to do some damage.

NANCE HAXTON: Di Gilchrist, whose husband's hit and run death resulted in a Royal Commission, spoke to Adelaide ABC's morning program today to defend Mr Xenophon, saying he has been a constant support to her, and not just when the media spotlight was on her case.

DI GILCHRIST: The reference that Ann made to Nick's involvement with victims was totally wrong. Based on my experience not only as a victim who's dealt with Nick but also somebody who's worked with Nick and his office over the last two campaigns and in between, Nick is passionate and he cares and he is empathetic. And he is truly committed.

NANCE HAXTON: Associate Professor Haydon Manning is a political studies lecturer at Flinders University in Adelaide.

He says while the criticism of Mr Xenophon will cause some concern among voters, he does not think it will ultimately damage his chances of being elected to the Senate on Saturday.

HAYDON MANNING: Here we have a woman who ran with Nick Xenophon, who never expected to be elected to state parliament, has been in the Parliament for 18 months, has worked very hard on a range of issues, particularly her anti-drugs platform, and I think she feels profoundly disappointed that Mr Xenophon is leaving.

But she also raises questions about the degree to which she's actually paid attention to various constituent matters. How far that will stick in voters' minds and turn people off Xenophon is another question. My own feeling is while this statement doesn't do him any good obviously, it won't do sufficient harm to his campaign.

ELEANOR HALL: Associate Professor Haydon Manning ending Nance Haxton's report.