Barnaby Joyce makes succession plans for National Party is he’s removed from parliament
DEPUTY Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has drawn up contingency plans for Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion to take over as Nationals leader if the High Court kicks him out of parliament.
NSW
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EMBATTLED Barnaby Joyce has drawn up plans for Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion to take over as Nationals leader if the High Court kicks him out of parliament.
Mr Joyce’s fellow senior Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash and Senator Matt Canavan are also at risk of being ruled ineligible for parliament.
In a bid to stop the Turnbull government falling into disarray, urgent preparations are being made before the High Court hands down its citizenship verdict, probably tomorrow or on Friday.
Ministries will be distributed to Darren Chester and Mr Scullion, in an acting capacity, while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg will also take responsibility for some portfolios until a major reshuffle takes place after any New England by-election.
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JOYCE WILL BE LUCKY TO WIN CITIZENSHIP CASE
The Daily Telegraph can also reveal Attorney-General George Brandis has warned crossbench senators to prepare to sit in parliament until Christmas Eve to debate marriage equality, should it pass the postal survey. This is similar to the extended sitting after the landmark Mabo decision when there were 111 hours of debate.
The Turnbull government has explored several legal avenues to ensure continuity of government should the High Court rule against three of its cabinet ministers.
If the verdict is that Mr Joyce was never eligible to sit in parliament, he would be forced out immediately but would remain leader of the Nationals. In this case, Mr Scullion would take over as parliamentary Nationals leader.
However, if the High Court’s ruling does not specifically state Mr Joyce has always been ineligible, the Turnbull government could rely on a precedent set by former Prime Minister John Gorton in 1968 to keep him in parliament for three months. More than enough time to hold a by-election in his seat of New England.
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Mr Joyce is understood to be quietly confident he will win New England, with internal Nationals research showing independent rival Tony Windsor is polling poorly, at less than 20 per cent of the primary vote.
At the last federal election, Mr Joyce attracted 52.3 per cent of the primary vote.