Cabinet reshuffle: Barnaby Joyce accused of betrayal over Darren Chester cut

VICTORIAN MP Darren Chester has been stripped of the federal government’s top ­infrastructure job in a move described as an “act of political bastardry”.

A VICTORIAN has been stripped of the federal government’s top ­infrastructure job in an “act of political bastardry”.

Gippsland Nationals MP Darren Chester was spectacularly dumped from his Turnbull Government position in a ministerial reshuffle on Tuesday — perceived by many of his colleagues as an act of malice from deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.

JAMES CAMPBELL: CABINET RESHUFFLE A DISASTER FOR VICTORIA

CABINET RESHUFFLE: MALCOLM TURNBULL UNVEILS NEW TEAM FOR 2018

MIDYEAR FEDERAL BUDGET UPDATE 2017: NEW MIGRANTS FACE THREE-YEAR WELFARE WAIT

Victoria — home to a quarter of the nation’s population — ­receives just 9.4 per cent of federal infrastructure funding and is struggling with a $7.5 billion roads and rail funding shortfall.

Colleagues have lashed out at Mr Joyce, who will take Mr Chester’s infrastructure and transport job, for his decision to dump two frontbenchers and elevate little-known first-term Queensland MP David Littleproud to the Cabinet.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Gippsland Nationals MP Darren Chester during Question Time in October. Picture: AAP/Mick Tsikas

The move has placed the junior Coalition partner on the brink of an internal revolt and now has a handful of Nationals MPs questioning Mr Joyce’s future.

It also threatens to damage an already strained relationship between the Andrews Government and Canberra over funding.

Nationals MPs say Mr Chester’s role in supporting fellow, Victorian Bridget ­McKenzie’s successful bid as deputy leader — against Mr Joyce’s candidate Matt Canavan — played a major role.

The dumping soured an otherwise strong result for Victorian representations within the federal government, with Senator McKenzie (sport and rural health) and Liberal MP Dan Tehan (social services) both elevated to the Cabinet.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is understood to have advised Mr Joyce against the decisions, struggled to justify Mr Chester’s sacking.

Gippsland Nationals MP Darren Chester was spectacularly dumped from his Turnbull Government position. Picture: AAP/Julian Smith

Mr Turnbull said it was a matter of “geography” and it was up to the Nationals leader “to answer this directly”.

“Darren has been an outstanding minister. I regret that this has resulted in him no longer being a member of the ministry,” Mr Turnbull said.

A handful of Nationals MPs have told the Herald Sun the moves were “madness”, “baffling” and “just f — king dumb” and are now questioning Mr Joyce’s judgment and his ­capacity to continue in the role as party leader.

“If there was enough courage in the party room they’d roll him,” one MP said.

Another Nationals MP said: “He has lost all judgment and has become irrational. It’s hard not to see this as an act of bastardry. He’s running a personal vendetta against people who didn’t back in his horse.”

The spat overshadowed the PM’s attempt to freshen up his ministry by creating two new “super portfolios” of national security and jobs and industry.

Mr Chester said on Tuesday he had been offered a more junior role within the government but declined to instead be an active backbencher.

Premier Daniel Andrews said Mr Chester had “always been professional” and focused on “getting an important outcome, not squabbling for its own sake”.

“We, of course, could do more if we had a true partnership with the Commonwealth government,” Mr Andrews said.

[e-mail]

Originally published as Cabinet reshuffle: Barnaby Joyce accused of betrayal over Darren Chester cut