Wide Bay MP Llew weighs in on Barnaby Joyce spill
The shock return of MP Barnaby joyce to the National Party’s leadership has been met with open arms by Wide Bay Llew O’Brien.
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The shock return of Barnaby Joyce to the National Party’s leadership has been with open arms by Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien who says the controversial New England MP is a “good friend to me, to Wide Bay and to Queensland”.
Mr Joyce was returned to the seat Monday morning following a closely fought leadership spill between himself and former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack brought on by Nationals Senator Matt Canavan.
It is the second time Mr Joyce has held the party’s top job; he lost the job to Mr McCormack in 2018.
Mr O’Brien said he welcomed Mr Joyce’s return to the party’s top job and role as Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s deputy.
“Barnaby is a good friend to me, to Wide Bay and to Queensland,” Mr O’Brien said.
“I have a good relationship with Barnaby, we work well together, and Barnaby’s return will be a constructive and positive move for our region.”
He said Mr Joyce understood the challenges faced by regional areas including the need for more industry and manufacturing jobs, better roads and the importance of supporting agriculture.
Mr O’Brien thanked Mr McCormack for his work as the Party’s leader for the past three years.
I acknowledge and thank Michael McCormack for his service as Party Leader.
“I congratulate Barnaby on his elevation and wish him and his partner Vikki Campion, and their boys Sebastian and Thomas, all the best in this new chapter of their lives.”
Mr Joyce has been at the centre of a number of controversies since he lost the leadership, including an alleged sexual harassment complaint of which an eight-month investigation by the New South Wales Nationals failed to make a determination citing insufficient evidence and an extramarital affair with Ms Campion, who was a staff member at the time.
He has also been wary of the Federal Government’s apparent move towards embracing net-zero emissions policy.
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