Rebekha Sharkie 'open to talking to both sides' in hung parliament

The crossbencher has told 6 News she wants to see a stable government post-election.

Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie says she's prepared to talk to both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton if a hung parliament occurs after the federal election on May 3.

Sharkie, the member for the South Australian seat of Mayo, told The Australian last month she would "meet with the Opposition Leader first if he can form a stable administration that will champion regional voters," but also says the situation where neither major party reaches 76 seats is a "hypothetical" and her support isn't currently locked in with the government or the opposition.

"Every election that I've been part of - and this is my fifth election - people talk about it being a hung parliament, and so far it hasn't really materialised since 2010," she told 6 News.

"I want to see stable government".

In the notional two-party-preferred contest at the 2022 election, Labor was ahead of the Liberals with 51.6%, even though the seat is historically a Liberal area. The actual two-candidate-preferred count had Sharkie defeating Liberal candidate Allison Bluck with more than 62% of the vote.

Sharkie said she spoke to ABC election analyst Antony Green about the notional 2PP contest and he "really questioned those figures, I think probably largely because underneath Mayo it's largely Liberal or non-Labor seats".

Sharkie is also publicly endorsed by Climate 200, the group backing "teal independents" nationwide, but says for this election she "doesn't need" donations from the group.

"I'm only taking small grassroots donations at this election...I've thought long and hard about it, and I just don't think I want to run a campaign that has anywhere near $100,000 in a price tag. We're running a pretty small, grassroots campaign."

In the ACT Senate race, incumbent David Pocock senator David Pocock Pocock last month also decided to run a smaller campaign this time based on his record.

Although often called an independent, Sharkie is still a member - and the leader - of Centre Alliance, the party formed in 2013 as the Nick Xenophon Team. She is the only candidate running with the party at this election.

Asked why Centre Alliance still exists, Sharkie says "it's actually really tricky if you've got savings in a party account - which I have a small amount of savings in there - to actually then transfer that over to being an independent".

"The paperwork's a different level, and I guess I've just kept it as a bit of a legacy thing...I'm a party of one."

I've had a few different parties approach me, but yeah, I'm just me on my own. In the past, I had three senators...I guess I'm still carrying the torch [of Centre Alliance], just me, in Mayo, and working hard for our community".

"It makes caucusing quite easy".

Zane Basic is running for the Liberals in Mayo at this election, with other candidates contesting including Marisa Bell (Labor), Genevieve Dawson-Scott (Greens), Rebecca Hewett (One Nation), Ben Hackett (Family First) and Simeon Trump Bidwell (Trumpet of Patriots).