Barnaby Joyce facing pre-selection battle as members refuse to support candidacy

BARNABY Joyce has hit back at claims he has “more skeletons in his closet” as he fights for the right to re-contest his federal seat, while Nationals leader Michael McCormack has offered lukewarm support.

BARNABY Joyce is facing an ugly internal battle to run for the Nationals at the next election, with some party members refusing to endorse his candidacy.

Sky News reports the former National Party leader has applied to recontest his northern NSW seat of New England, but is struggling to find unanimous support within the eight-member selection committee.

It’s understood at least two members won’t endorse Mr Joyce’s paperwork because they fear he could have “more skeletons in the closet”.

The selection committee is understood to be concerned that Mr Joyce has ‘more skeletons in the closet’ after his affair with Vikki Campion was revealed. Picture: Channel 7

The reluctant members have argued Mr Joyce did not declare his extramarital affair with former staffer Vikki Campion when he filled in his paperwork in 2016.

Mr Joyce told The Australian that he should be judged on his policies rather than his personal life.

“I’ll judge myself by the largest turnaround in agricultural commodity prices in Australian history,” Mr Joyce said.

“I’ll judge myself by in-land rail, I’ll judge myself by my work on the drought, I’ll judge myself on decentralisation. I’ll judge myself on my tireless work for the community.

“And if any other people want to judge me on my personal life, that’s a choice for them.”

Barnaby Joyce is currently fighting a pre-selection battle. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

In a statement, Nationals Leader Michael McCormack fell short of endorsing Mr Joyce during his pre-selection ordeal. Instead, he simply outlined the process.

“Pre-selection processes are the same for all Federal/National candidates. The NSW Nationals manage the vetting and all the usual processes which go along with any candidacy as they have done for my own pre-selection,” Mr McCormack said.

“The grassroots members of the Nationals get to pick out candidates and that’s what’s happening here.”

But later, he announced his “support” for the New England MP, telling reporters on the Sunshine Coast Mr Joyce was doing a “wonderful job”.

“He has my support, he has the support of the party room,” he said.

Mr McCormack was forced to defend his leadership in October after it emerged that some members had discussed launching a spill motion against him.

He rejected the accusations at the time.

“Regional Australians want secure and stable leadership which listens to their specific needs, understands their unique differences and delivers for them — that’s what The Nationals stand for and that’s what my leadership is providing,” Mr McCormack said in October.

“I will continue to work with Barnaby and all my colleagues to stick up for regional Australia and for country people­.”

Nationals leader and deputy prime minister Michael McCormack was recently forced to defend his leadership. Picture: AAP/Lukas Coch

The Nationals introduced a new vetting process after a number of MPs across several parties were found to be ineligible because they held dual citizenship - including Mr Joyce.

Nationals party president Larry Anthony said he was confident the former leader would pass, and that he was likely to be the only candidate for preselection.

“I have every confidence that he’ll get through that process,” he said.

Mr Anthony said the preselection for New England will be held on November 17, and a couple of hundred local Nationals members will get to vote on who should be their candidate.

Mr Joyce announced he’d separated from his wife Natalie in December 2017 before The Daily Telegraph revealed his affair with Ms Campion in February.

The former deputy prime minister resigned as National Party leader soon after.

He is currently serving as the Federal Government’s drought envoy, but has not ruled a comeback if he were drafted.

If the selection committee cannot resolve the impasse, the party’s national executive will be forced to step in.