Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce believes former Nationals WA leader Brendon Grylls would be a "rocket" in federal parliament and an advocate for the state on the GST revenue carve-up issue, but it is his call.
Mr Grylls was ousted from his Pilbara seat at the March state election, but the federal Nationals leader has made no secret of the fact he would like to see Mr Grylls in the Canberra Senate.
"I would love a National party senator from this state," Mr Joyce told reporters in Perth on Friday.
"I think Brendon Grylls has got great potential, but that's up to Brendon."
Mr Joyce said when he raised the issue with Mr Grylls after the election loss, the response was: "Barnaby, you look after your business and I'll look after mine."
The deputy prime minister said it was possible Mr Grylls had had enough of politics, and if that was his position, Mr Joyce respected it.
Asked if he would keep trying to encourage Mr Grylls to run for the Senate, Mr Joyce replied: "I've tried, he said no, I can't do better than that."
"If he wanted to do it, he would be an absolute rocket in Canberra. He's just so talented.
"He'd be great advocate to have over there pushing your barrow (on the GST issue)."
