Senator Matt Canavan to challenge David Littleproud for Nationals leadership

The Nationals Party’s leadership is being contested, with Labor now the only major Australian party with a secure leader.

Queensland Nationals’ Senator Matt Canavan is challenging for the leadership of the National Party as the Liberal Party punches on to find a new leader.

Senator Canavan has confirmed he will challenge Nationals’ leader, David Littleproud at a party room meeting in Canberra on Monday.

It follows the shock defection of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to the Liberals.

The coming week is shaping as something of an electoral bloodbath for the Coalition, with the Liberal Party set to vote on a new leader on Tuesday.

Writing in The AustralianSenator Canavan wrote, “I plan to stand for the leadership of the Nationals party to bring back our fighting spirit. 

“Only if we fight, will we have a fighting chance,’’ he said.

“David Littleproud can be enormously proud of his role in defeating the Voice, putting nuclear power on the agenda and having divestiture powers adopted as Coalition policy for the first time.

Queensland Nationals’ Senator Matt Canavan will challenge for the leadership of the National Party. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Senator Canavan is expected to challenge the incumbent leader of the Nationals, David Littleproud, in a party room meeting on Monday in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“But this debate is not about protecting his job or mine. This is about fighting for the jobs and livelihoods of the many people we represent. Many of the people that vote for the Nationals party have to shower after work, not before it.”

Senator Canavan has been a protege of Barnaby Joyce who is taking time out while he battled prostate cancer.

He has also been one of the strongest critics of Senator Price dumping the party to sit with the Liberals.

“By doing this Jacinta is the Lidia Thorpe of the Coalition … before the votes are even counted, she’s switched to another side,” Nationals Senator Matt Canavan said.

“(Senator Nampijinpa Price) has disenfranchised the voter, disappointed the members of the Country Liberal Party, she used Nationals Party funds to elect herself and before she’s even elected she’s turned around.

The Nationals have been left soul-searching after the Coalition, led by Peter Dutton, was thumped on Saturday’s election. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

If he wins Senator Canavan could put new pressure on the Coalition agreement because he’s an outspoken supporter of nuclear power and an issue the Liberals may wish to dump after the election result.

“Our plan should be based on how we can save the country, not save the party,’’ Senator Canavan said.

“I am standing for my party’s leadership so that I can tell my kids I did everything I could to fight for a better life for them.

“The plan we took to the last election was rejected. We need a new plan. I have been arguing for a different approach ever since we signed up to net zero. So, I believe that I am in a stronger position to prosecute change.

“We should scrap the futile and unachievable goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Net zero makes everything more expensive and it is not helping the environment given that the US, China and India are no longer even paying lip service to it.

“The primary goal of our electricity system should be to reduce power bills not reduce emissions,” he said.

Matt Canavan took to Facebook Live to challenge for the leadership.

Senator Canavan took to Facebook Live shortly after the column published to update his followers.

The Deputy Nationals’ Leader, Senator Perin Davey is also leaving after she was dumped to a losing spot on the NSW Senate ticket below two Liberals.

The Nationals failed to win back the NSW seat of Calare from former Nationals’ MP, Andrew Gee, who resigned from the party and won the seat as an independent.

Jacinta Price emerges as shock candidate for Liberals deputy role 

The prominent anti-Voice Senator Jacinta Price campaigner dropped a bombshell on Thursday revealing that she will move to sit with the Liberal Party in an effort to “rebuild” the party after a blustering election loss.

“I am eager to fight for the best interests of all Australians as part of the Coalition,” Senator Nampijinpa Price said in a statement.

“I believe I will be more effective in this regard if I am a member of the Liberal Party, especially as the party faces a significant rebuild after Saturday.

As a Country Liberal senator from the Northern Territory, she has the choice whether to sit in the party room of the Liberal Party of the Coalition partner the Nationals.

NT Senator Jacinta Price Jacinta Price had emerged as shock candidate for Liberals deputy role after defecting from the Nationals. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Traitor attack

While her defection is a huge coup for the Liberals her move has enraged the Nationals who called it the act of a “traitor”.

The Nationals are already set to lose their deputy leader Perin Davey after the election result and the defection could mean the party loses its “major party status” in the Senate.

While it isn’t clear yet she is running on a ticket with Liberal Angus Taylor, Mr Taylor quickly moved to note he was “delighted” by Senator Nampijinpa Price’s decision describing her as a “tireless advocate for Liberal values and a good friend”.

“Jacinta will be another strong voice at a time the Liberal Party must rebuild,” he posted on Twitter.

Senator Price and abortion stance

Last year, senior Coalition women rebuked Senator Nampijinpa Price’s comments about abortion after she suggested she cannot support any abortion over 12 weeks of gestation.

Sussan Ley, Jane Hume and Bridget McKenzie – three of the most senior female members of the Liberal and National parties – warned that a “Coalition government has no plans, no policy and no interest in unwinding women’s reproductive rights”.

Senator Nampijinpa Price has told the Nine newspapers she “cannot agree” with later term abortions, which she claimed was “anywhere past the (first) trimester as far as I’m concerned … Full-term becomes infanticide”.

Liberal MPs welcome Senator Price

Moments following her statement, prominent Liberal senator James Paterson, who is regarded as an ally of Mr Taylor in the leadership tussle, welcomed the switch.

But the decision has clearly angered Nationals Leader David Littleproud.

“The Nationals negotiated an extra position in the Shadow Cabinet before the election, to give Senator Nampijinpa Price a promotion and Shadow Ministerial opportunity,” Mr Littleproud said.

“The Nationals were the first to lead the ‘No’ case in relation to the Voice, backing Senator Nampijinpa Price early and before anyone else did.

“I appreciate Senator Nampijinpa Price has ambition that extends beyond the possibilities of The Nationals and I wish her well.

“The Liberals will need to rebuild after Saturday’s election and Senator Nampijinpa Price will play a key role in that recovery, while The Nationals are proud to have kept all of our Lower House seats.”

Originally published as Senator Matt Canavan to challenge David Littleproud for Nationals leadership