‘That’s life’: ousted Barnaby Joyce’s stoic reaction to dumping

Ousted Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has revealed he already planned to “transition” out of the party’s top job before the next election, but on losing the role sooner he says “that is life”.

Ousted Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has revealed he already planned to “transition” out of the party’s top job before the next election, but on losing the role sooner he says “that is life”.

Mr Joyce, who lost the position to David Littleproud in a leadership spill on Monday, said he always intended to hand over the job to a new team during this term.

Despite this decision, Mr Joyce said the reason he still challenged for the leadership was because he believed Australians would be “disappointed” if he was gone so soon after the May election and he wanted to be a part of the Coalition talks with new Liberal leader Peter Dutton.

“I was always thinking that you need to bed down a Coalition agreement,” he said.

“You needed to clearly get the right portfolios … the right staffing.

“Also I didn’t think it was fair to the Australian people to say I was the leader last week and I am not the leader this week.”

Barnaby Joyce following his loss in the National Party ballot. Picture: Twitter

He wished his successor Mr Littleproud well, and also congratulated the Labor Party on securing a majority government.

Mr Joyce said he hoped nuclear energy was pursued by Australia as it attempts to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

REVEALED: HOW THEY VOTED TO BUMP BARNABY

David Littleproud secured the Nationals leadership over Barnaby Joyce with a sizeable margin as conflicting loyalties among newly elected members of the party split their vote.

Though the National Party conducts ballots in secret and the final numbers are not announced in the room, a source familiar with the supporters in both camps has told The Daily Telegraph they’re confident the final result was 9 to 13 in Mr Littleproud’s favour.

It is understood newly elected NSW Senator Ross Cadell and Nicholls MP Sam Birrell backed Mr Littleproud, while Mr Joyce garnered the support of Dawson MP Andrew Willcox, Flynn MP Colin Boyce and Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Price.

That would mean only six MPs and Senators who served in the previous Morrison Government backed Mr Joyce, including himself, in Monday’s vote.

Queensland MP Mr Littleproud emerged victorious from the three-way tussle for the National Party leadership, ousting former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.

New leader … David Littleproud. Picture: Brad Hunter/Office of the Deputy PM

Ousted … Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.

After a more than two-hour party room meeting in Canberra on Monday, Mr Littleproud secured the numbers in the room to win the leadership.

“This is the proudest day of my professional life,” Mr Littleproud said.

He said the party would work toward the 2025 election with a “vibrant team”.

“Today we start that journey … with the enthusiasm and energy of knowing that while we held all our seats, there are emerging threats, emerging challenges,” he said.

NSW Senator Perin Davey also won a three-way contest for the deputy Nationals leadership position.

Ms Davey said the new leadership were the “future” of the Nationals party.

“We’ve got three years to make sure we hold the new government to account and to make sure they don’t forget the regions,” she said.

“My focus with David is eyes on the future, with David.

New deputy … Nationals Senator Perin Davey. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We are a diverse team, but the one thing we are all absolutely unanimous on is the regions are vital for Australia’s economic security going forward.”

In a statement, the former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce congratulated the new leadership team and warned they have “a mighty task ahead of them”.

“I suppose you think I am sad. Not really.

“I gave every ounce of my energy to make sure that I looked after the people of regional Australia, the people in the small family businesses, the people in the weatherboard and iron, the people on the farms.

“Now, I have a chance to get back to my second greatest love, after my family, and that is my beloved people of New England, where I will have more time to get around my electorate and to be a person of service to them.”

Victorian MP Darren Chester also threw his hat into the leadership ring but did not garner enough support from his colleagues.

Meanwhile, Victorian Senator Bridget McKenzie has been re-elected Nationals leader in the Senate.

Former defence minister Peter Dutton was elected Liberal leader on Monday. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Farrer MP Sussan Ley is the new deputy Liberal leader.

Earlier, former defence minister Peter Dutton was elected leader of the Liberal Party unopposed.

The Queensland MP will be supported by former environment minister Sussan Ley, who was also been elected unopposed as the deputy leader of the Liberal Party.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison welcomed the new Liberal leadership team, describing them as “enormously experienced” and “deeply committed” to the “cause of the nation”.

“They are incredibly experienced, well versed, and are deeply committed Australians to both the Liberal cause and cause of the nation,” he said.

“I think they’ll do an outstanding job and I look forward to giving them my full support.”

Mr Morrison said the Liberal meeting was a “good opportunity” for him to thank his colleagues for their “great loyalty and support” over his time as leader and PM.

He said he also thanked the Liberal MPs and Senators on behalf of former treasurer Josh Frydenberg who was unable to attend having lost his seat of Kooyong at the election.

“We are all very sad couldn’t be with us today and there was a rousing cheer for Josh as their should be,” Mr Morrison said.

“So to him and all the Liberal Party supporters and those out there, thank you very much.

“It’s been a great privilege to lead the federal parliamentary Liberal Party and I handed over to Peter and Susan and wish them all the very best.”

Darren Chester was highly critical of Barnaby Joyce, Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

On Monday ahead of the leadership meeting Nationals MP Michelle Landry, who’s seat of Capricornia takes in parts of Central Queensland, said she believed the party had “taken the Greens too lightly”.

“I think we really need to revisit our position on some of the key areas of policy and have good discussions with the Liberals on that,” she said.

“Because you can’t have people running off with different agendas, we all need to be on the same message.”

Liberals who lost their inner city seats at the election have argued comments made by several Nationals, including Senator Matt Canavan arguing net zero emissions was “dead” significantly hurt them in the campaign.

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry says the Nationals did not take the threat of the Greens seriously.

Ms Landry said she was also keen to look the women’s issues raised during the election, as she was worried about the increasing number of Australian women in poverty.

“There’s a new poor, women over 50 who have been married and divorced,” she said.

“I will really be fighting for that.”

Meanwhile, Labor will hash out the final details of the ­Albanese government frontbench, with ministers to be sworn in on Wednesday.

Key positions including treasury, finance and foreign affairs are already locked in, with Jim Chalmers, Katy Gallagher and Penny Wong ­respectively sworn in last week, but several roles remain ­unclear.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles is expected to be given the defence portfolio, leaving previous shadow Brendan O’Connor without a role.

He could be made home affairs minister given Kristina Keneally lost her bid to move to the lower house in the seat of Fowler, though NSW frontbencher Jason Clare has also been touted as an option for the important portfolio.

Environment will also have to be filled as Queensland MP Terri Butler lost her seat of Griffith to the Greens.

Labor’s right faction in NSW is also under pressure to put more women into senior roles, with Senator Deb O’Neill a contender for a promotion.

Labor remain just shy of a 76 seat majority as the count in Macnamara in Victoria and Gilmore in NSW continues, with Mr Albanese conceding the party would have to “learn lessons” after its failed bid to parachute former NSW premier Ms Keneally into the once-safe Western Sydney seat of Fowler.

“I think the lessons are very clear that the community sent a message,” he said on Sunday.