A Coalition government senator has confirmed she has been in discussions with crossbench parties as she weighs up her political future for the upcoming federal election.
Country Liberal Party NT senator Sam McMahon, who currently sits in the Nationals party room in Canberra, was dumped by the CLP during a fierce preselection battle for the seat in June last year.
The incumbent senator was beaten for the CLP's spot on the NT senate ticket for the next election by former Alice Springs deputy mayor Jacinta Price.
Senator McMahon, a veterinarian from the outback town of Katherine, said she was still deciding if she would run in the upcoming election, and for which party.
"I've been approached by the vast majority of the minor parties," Senator McMahon said.
"They obviously see a lot of value in having an experienced senator in their ranks."
Senator McMahon said she recently met with former Queensland premier Campbell Newman, that state's senate candidate for micro-party the Liberal Democrats, but she underplayed the significance of the meeting.
"We mostly discussed the economy and some forums that [Mr Newman] was taking part in with [Nationals senator] Matt Canavan. That was the basis of the discussions with Campbell," she said.
"I have been approached by the Liberal Democrats, I've been approached by One Nation, I've been approached by the Jacqui Lambie Network … [they] would be interested in having me join them and run for them at the next election.
"At the moment I have absolutely no intention of running in the next federal election, [but] a day is a long time in politics and you never know what the future holds."
A spokesperson for the Jacqui Lambie Network said the Tasmanian senator's party never made an approach to Senator McMahon to join the party, and was not considering running for a seat in the Northern Territory.
A spokesman for Senator McMahon, when asked to clarify the comments, said the senator stood by her claim
CLP deputy says McMahon's future 'not a distraction'
Senator McMahon said she did not believe her possible defection would cause an issue for the CLP, which would also be trying to win over two House of Representative seats currently held by Labor.
"I don't think it would do much damage," she said.
"They have already decided that they don't want me to be their candidate or representative, so I don't think it makes a difference."
CLP deputy leader Gerard Maley said it "was not a distraction".
"Senator McMahon can do what she likes," Mr Maley said.
"Jacinta Price has been endorsed as the senate candidate and we fully support Jacinta.
"And we thank the senator for her job … but what she does into the future is a matter for her."
Senator's turbulent first term creates headlines
Senator McMahon has been the subject of media attention during her first term in politics for incidents outside of policy debate.
Among the controversies since her election in 2019, the senator was accused of being drunk in the Senate — an allegation she rejected as "fictional".
She was also accused of throwing punches at Nationals federal director Jonathan Hawkes at a Christmas party in Canberra.
Senator McMahon yesterday refused to comment on that alleged incident, saying only that she had "very good relationships" with "all of the staff and the Nationals members".
Editor's note 27/01/2022: This article has been updated to include comment from the Jacqui Lambie Network, which says an approach was never made to Senator McMahon to join the party.
