The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party's Ricky Muir could be on the road to setting a record for the quietest start to a Senate career.
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Seven months after he arrived in Canberra from rural Victoria with his wife Kerri-Anne and five children, Senator Muir is yet to deliver his inaugural speech.
Senators are allowed to choose the timing of their first speech and Senator Muir is now months behind the rest of the "class of 2014", including all his fellow balance-of-power crossbenchers who have delivered their maiden speeches.
On Wednesday, Senator Muir was due to talk on indulgence to a Labor-led matter of public importance, just the third time he has spoken in the chamber.
By comparison, NSW senator David Leyonhjelm has spoken on 63 occasions, according to Hansard, having delivered his inaugural speech last July.
Palmer United defector Jacqui Lambie has spoken 50 times while PUP Senate leader Glenn Lazarus has notched up 38 since his first speech in September.
PUP's Zhenya "Dio" Wang has spoken on just six occasions.
Senator Muir told Fairfax Media his inaugural speech, which had been expected in the final session of Parliament last year, would be delivered in March.
A fellow crossbencher said Senator Muir's tentative start in the chamber had been a topic of conversation among senators. "People think it could be the longest time between entering the senate and doing a first speech."
The Clerk of the Senate's office said there was no way to tell other than going through the speaking records of all Australian senators since 1901.
But "silent members" are not unheard of, with some senators managing just a handful of contributions in a six-year term.
Senator Muir, who scraped into office on preference flows, had a rough start to his career with a now infamous "train wreck interview" with veteran Mike Willesee. His failure to explain the concept of the balance of power went viral.
But on the few occasions that he has spoken, Senator Muir's contribution has been compelling.
In December, he outlined his angst at casting his crucial vote in favour of then Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's bid to reintroduce temporary protection visas.
"Coming to a decision on this bill has been, without a doubt, one of the hardest decisions I have had to face — a choice between a bad option and a worse option. It is a decision that involves human beings: children, mothers, fathers," he said.
"I believe that this bill has many bad aspects; however, I am forced into a corner to decide between a bad decision or a worse decision — a position which I do not wish on my worst enemies.
"Ultimately, it is my desire to see the legacy caseload resolved with a clear pathway to permanency for those who are found to be genuine refugees, and for those who are found not to be genuine refugees to return home."
