Turnbull Government ‘weaker’ without Barnaby Joyce: Abbott

TONY Abbott says the government will be weaker without Barnaby Joyce, amid fresh reports about another possible breach of the ministerial code of conduct by the Deputy PM.

TONY Abbott says the government will be weaker without Barnaby Joyce, as new allegations emerge about another possible breach of the ministerial code of conduct by the Nationals’ leader.

The former prime minister has thrown his support behind Mr Joyce, who is staring down calls for him to resign as National Party leader, and effectively as Deputy Prime Minister, amid the scandal over his affair with a former staffer.

Meanwhile, federal National Party MPs remain divided on whether to replace Mr Joyce as leader.

Senior Nationals MP Michael McCormack, tipped to be the next leader if Mr Joyce was replaced, told 2GB this morning there was no challenge “at the moment”.

Pushed on whether there would be a challenge, Mr McCormack said: “That remains to be seen but, at the moment, Barnaby is our leader and he has the party’s support.”

Mr Abbott told Sky News yesterday the Turnbull Government would miss Mr Joyce if he resigned.

“Barnaby is a very accomplished politician, no doubt about that,” he said.

“In the end, it’s up to the National Party and Barnaby to decide what they should do.

“But yes, I think in terms of a very strong, and very well known retail politician, the government would be weaker without him.”

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce and Tony Abbott in Question Time in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, who becomes Acting Prime Minister with Mr Joyce on leave when Malcolm Turnbull travels to the US later today, agreed Mr Joyce was a “very senior and effective politician”.

He rejected suggestions the government could not move on if Mr Joyce remained leader of the National Party.

“The country wants us to move on, we must move on, we need to focus on the things we were elected to do and that is certainly what will happen,” Senator Cormann told the Nine Network’s The Today Show.

Treasurer Scott Morrison expressed frustration this morning that the National Party had yet to put an end to the fallout from Mr Joyce’s affair.

Asked whether the “Barnaby Joyce thing” was finished yet, Mr Morrison told 3AW radio: “I have no idea. It’s up to the National Party.”

Mr Joyce slapped down a call by the WA Nationals yesterday for him to resign as federal leader, which claimed his actions had damaged the Nationals brand across the country.

NSW and Victoria have not backed the call but said it was a matter for the federal party to resolve.

WA Nationals state leader Mia Davies issued a statement saying she told Mr Joyce he is now a distraction. Picture: Matthew Poon

Meanwhile, Mr Joyce is facing new claims today that he breached the ministerial code of conduct by not declaring that he had bought five parcels of land near the proposed Inland Rail route when the project was discussed in Cabinet.

The Daily Telegraph reports Mr Joyce did not mention the potential conflict of interest when former Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester took the Inland Rail project to Cabinet.

Under official rules for Cabinet ministers, ministers or officials attending Cabinet meetings “must declare any private interests of which they are aware”.

Labor’s Infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese said it appeared to be a breach of the ministerial code of conduct.

“Given that Barnaby Joyce has spoken about the benefits of Inland Rail for those on the land along the route, it is reasonable to expect he would be mindful of declaring any direct interest he might have,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

A spokeswoman for Mr Joyce said he had no role in selecting the route of the Inland Rail and that there was never a proposed stop near the land he owned.

Last week, Mr Joyce rejected claims he had breached ministerial standards by accepting a gift from his friend, multi-millionaire Greg Maguire, to live six-months rent free in his townhouse in Armidale.