Crossbench Senators David Leyonhjelm, Glenn Lazarus and Nick Xenophon pose ahead of their debate at the National Press Club in Canberra.

The Turnbull Government needs the support of six of the eight crossbench Senators to pass its Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) Bill when it meets for a special sitting of Parliament on April 18.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has previously announced a double dissolution election would be held on July 2, unless the legislation passed.

Crossbench Senators David Leyonhjelm, Glenn Lazarus and Nick Xenophon say there are certain conditions for passing the bill. Picture: Ray Strange.Source:News Corp Australia

Without the support of Labor and the Greens in the Senate, the government’s only hope to pass the ABCC Bill is the crossbench.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has said the government would negotiate with the crossbench in good faith, but only amendments with the support of six Senators could reasonably be considered.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: Dylan RobinsonSource:News Corp Australia

Today, three of the eight Senators, David Leyonhjelm, Glenn Lazarus, and Nick Xenophon, told the National Press Club what they would need to agree to the Bill.

DAVID LEYONHJELM – LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Senator Leyonhjelm said he would vote for the ABCC Bill on its second reading, after which he would introduce an amendment for a sunset clause.

“The Government agreed to that sunset clause more than six months ago,” he said.

“But apparently now I’m expected to shop it around my crossbench colleagues and get six votes for it. As if.

“If it gets to a third reading, my vote will depend on how it is amended plus a few other unrelated factors.

Crossbench Senator David Leyonhjelm during the debate at the National Press Club in Canberra.Source:AAP

“Frankly, I doubt it will get that far. It may not even get to the second reading.”

Senator Leyonhjelm said he had never spoken with the Prime Minister about the Bill and believed he secretly would not care if it failed to pass.

“In my view, he has been looking forward to a double dissolution with (industrial relations) front and centre for at least the last three weeks and probably longer.

“Only the Newspoll numbers which suggest he might actually lose the election would have given him any reason recently to reconsider that position.”

GLENN LAZARUS – INDEPENDENT

Senator Lazarus told the National Press Club his position was “very clear”.

“If the PM expands the commission to deal with misconduct and corruption across all industries I will vote for it,” he said.

“I want a national corruption watchdog established in this country and so do over 70 per cent of Australians.

Glenn Lazarus says he believes Malcolm Turnbull will try to bring on the election “to stem the damage his party is facing”.Source:AAP

“It should include politics, but if Malcolm wants to go after one area of one industry he needs to stand tall and be prepared to subject his own party and all others to the same level of scrutiny.”

Senator Lazarus said he too did not believe the Prime Minister was serious about getting the legislation through.

“I believe we will be facing a double dissolution election because Malcolm is panicking and will try to bring on the election as soon as possible to stem the damage his party is facing on a daily basis,” he said.

NICK XENOPHON – INDEPENDENT

Senator Xenophon said he would support the second reading of the Bill, but there were “many unanswered questions”.

“I guess what I’ve been struck by in the last few days is that the Government’s worried about jobs in the construction sector, they’re ignores the jobs crisis in the steel industry and the impact that will have,” he said.

“I guess what I’ve been struck by in the last few days is that the Government’s worried about jobs in the construction sector, they’re ignores the jobs crisis in the steel industry and the impact that will have.

Senator Nick Xenophon said he would support the second reading of the Bill, but there were “many unanswered questions”. Picture: Ray Strange.Source:News Corp Australia

“I think that the Government, if it’s fair dinkum about the nation’s productivity, about jobs, they need to be broader than that.

“Now whether you attach it as a condition to this bill is, I think, is problematic, but there ought to be a commitment from government in terms of issues of procurement, of anti-dumping policies because my concern is that the Government has an ideological pursuit of the ABCC that doesn’t match the crisis we see in other sectors of the economy.”

Contrary to Senator Lazarus and Senator Leyonhjelm, Senator Xenophon said he believed the Government was genuinely prepared to negotiate to get the Bill passed.

“My own contact with the Employment Minister Senator Michaelia Cash suggests she’s negotiating in good faith; that she’s doing all that she reasonably to get the legislation through,” he said.

“I have no doubt of her personal commitment to this but I wonder whether others in the Government might be more than a little relieved if the legislation fell over.”