The current Senate, which comprises 33 government members, 25 from Labor, 10 from the Greens and eight on the crossbench, has foiled the government's attempts to pass a slew of budget measures while also delaying the passage of other legislation such as the carbon tax repeal. The government needs six extra votes to secure a majority of 39 in the 76 member chamber. For all the government's complaints about trenchant oppositionism, the Labor Party has actually voted with the government more regularly, at 35 per cent of the time. Senator Xenophon won his place in the Senate in 2008 after about a decade in the South Australian upper house and has earned a reputation as a wheeler-dealer who is willing to compromise.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd's second, $42 billion economic stimulus passed the Parliament in February 2009 after a deal with Senator Xenophon. And former prime minister Julia Gillard managed to introduce a Queensland flood levy in March 2011 after a deal with the South Australian. In the current Senate, Senator Xenophon has voted with the government in 85 of 288 divisions and against the government in 104 of 288 divisions. He has missed 99 divisions. Senator Day, who once stood as a Liberal Party candidate, has voted with the government 90 per cent of the time The analysis also reveals Senator Xenophon's fellow South Australian, Family First's Bob Day, votes so regularly with the Coalition he may as well sit on the government benches.

Senator Day, who once stood as a Liberal Party candidate, has voted with the government 90 per cent of the time. NSW Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm, who broadly shares Senator Day's economically dry philosophy but is more socially progressive, is the second-most reliable government supporter, voting with the Coalition 70 per cent of the time. And in findings which underscore why the government hopes to reset its relationship with the Australian Greens under new leader Richard Di Natale, the analysis reveals party has voted just two per cent of the time with the Coalition. For all the difficulties it has caused Tony Abbott, the Palmer United Party has voted 57 per cent of the time with the government. The disintegration of the party gives some indication as to the personal leanings of Glenn Lazarus and Jacqui Lambie, with each senators' support for the government declining since they left the PUP.

Senator Lazarus has voted with the government 55 per cent of the time, with that figure including his votes while a member of the PUP and in the days after his defection in March 2015. Senator Lambie has voted 47 per cent of the time with the government, a more marked decline in support for the government since she defected in November 2014. Motoring Enthusiast senator Ricky Muir voted with the government 54 per cent of the time, while Senator John Madigan – who is politically close to Senator Xenophon - voted with the government 41 per cent of the time. Follow us on Twitter Follow James Massola on Facebook