The Nick Xenophon Team's new federal MP, Rebekha Sharkie, says she will view everything through the prism of the 11-point wishlist outlined by the NXT party and her leader in any negotiations about who to back should there be a hung parliament. 
She also views Victorian independent MP Cathy McGowan, who was returned with a stronger result in the seat of Indi, as a role model for how an independent can deliver extended success against the major parties. "I hope to learn much from her," she told The Australian Financial Review, rejecting suggestions she might be a one-term wonder.
Ms Sharkie surged to a historic victory on Saturday in the Adelaide Hills seat of   Mayo to win the first lower house seat for the NXT party set up by Senator Xenophon, who entered politics in 2008. On Sunday he said he'd already had a call from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull but he wouldn't consider taking a ministry or being part of a minority government.
"The manifesto is clear," Senator Xenophon said as he reinforced that saving Australian manufacturing and jobs, helping the stricken Whyalla steelworks, and being tougher on predatory gambling to help 400,000 problem gamblers, were high on the list.
Ms Sharkie unseated former federal minister Jamie Briggs in a lower house seat held by a margin of 12.6 per cent and which had been a conservative stronghold for decades. It was held by former Liberal foreign minister Alexander Downer for 24 years until 2008.
Ms Sharkie, who worked as an electorate officer for Mr Briggs for six months in 2008, said her guiding principles were the 11-point wishlist of NXT in the event of a hung parliament.