Nick Xenophon

Nick Xenophon
Xenophon in 2009
Senator for South Australia
In office 1 July 2008 – 31 October 2017
Succeeded by	Rex Patrick
Member of the South Australian Legislative Council
In office 11 October 1997 – 15 October 2007
Leader of Independent No Pokies Campaign Group
In office 13 September 1997 – 1 July 2013 as No Pokies
Deputy	Ann Bressington
Preceded by	Party established
Succeeded by	John Darley
In office as 1 July 2013 – 5 March 2017 as Nick Xenophon Team
Deputy	Stirling Griff
Preceded by	Party merged
Succeeded by	Party dissolved
In office 4 July 2017 – 17 March 2018 as SA-BEST
Deputy	Kris Hanna
Preceded by	Party rebranded
Succeeded by	Frank Pangallo
1st Leader of Centre Alliance Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 March 2022
Deputy	Kris Hanna
Preceded by	Connie Bonaros
In office 10 April 2018 – 7 May 2018
Deputy	Skye Kakoschke-Moore
Preceded by	Rebekha Sharkie
Succeeded by	Party established
Personal details
Born	Nicholas Xenophou (1959-01-29) 29 January 1959 (age 65) Adelaide, South Australia, Australia[1]
Citizenship	Australian British Overseas (renounced)[2] Greek (renounced)
Political party	Independent (1997–2013, 2018-)
Other political affiliations	Liberal (1976–1981) No Pokies (1997–2013) Nick Xenophon Team (2013–2018) SA-Best (2017–2018)
Spouse	Sandra Kazubiernis ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 2007)​
Children	2
Education	Prince Alfred College
Alma mater	University of Adelaide (LLB)
Occupation	Law firm principal (Xenophon & Co. Lawyers)
Profession	Solicitor Politician

Nick Xenophon (né Nicholas Xenophou; born 29 January 1959) is an Australian politician and lawyer who was a Senator for South Australia from 2008 to 2017. He was the leader of two political parties: Nick Xenophon Team federally, and Nick Xenophon's SA-BEST in South Australia.

In October 2017, Xenophon resigned from the Australian Senate to contest a seat in the House of Assembly at the 2018 South Australian state election. From 1997 to 2007, he was a member of the South Australian Legislative Council, serving as an independent on a No Pokies policy platform. When the Nick Xenophon Team changed its name to Centre Alliance, Xenophon himself ceased to be directly involved with the party.^[3]

Xenophon initially focused on his central anti-gambling policy, but also embraced other issues in federal parliament such as civil liberties, defence, education, foreign policy, health, infrastructure, manufacturing, national security, and regional affairs.

Xenophon failed in his central mission to have poker machines curbed or eliminated in a lasting way, but was instrumental in the Rudd government's repeal of WorkChoices legislation and the passage of the economic stimulus package, as well as the Abbott government's repeal of the Clean Energy Act 2011. Additionally, Xenophon was pivotal in the obstruction of the Abbott government's 2014 austerity budget, the plan to build next generation submarines overseas, and the Pyne higher education reforms.