Barnaby Joyce returns as Nationals leader after ousting Michael McCormack in spill

An awkward move in question time just hours after Michael McCormack was dumped in a leadership spill has raised eyebrows.

Michael McCormack has sat in the prime minister’s chair in parliament just hours after he was dumped as deputy prime minister in a Nationals leadership spill.

Barnaby Joyce returned to the Nationals leadership after toppling Mr McCormack in a party-room ballot on Monday morning.

But in question time at 2pm it was Mr McCormack sitting in the prime minister’s chair, as Scott Morrison tuned in remotely from quarantine following a trip overseas and Mr Joyce will not be sworn in until Monday evening.

Mr McCormack was the acting prime minister while Mr Morrison travelled to the UK for the G7 summit.

The spill motion against him was moved by Senator Matt Canavan, a long-term supporter of Mr Joyce, and seconded by MP David Gillespie on Monday morning.

Michael McCormack took the prime minister’s chair in question time on Monday despite being dumped in a spill earlier that morning.

Chief Nationals Whip Damian Drum confirmed Mr Joyce, who resigned as leader in 2018, had ousted Mr McCormack.

Mr Drum described the Nationals as “the most democratic party in the Australia” but with its party-room votes confidential, the exact count was unclear.

“Barnaby Joyce has been elected leader of the National Party at a federal level, and will therefore be going through the various situations that he has to go through,” Mr Drum said.

“He has to go through a process now to be sworn in, to have all the conversations, to talk to the Prime Minister and effectively get on with the job of representing our people.”

Mr Joyce returns just over a year after launching an unsuccessful tilt against Mr McCormack last February, and will hold a press conference later on Monday.

Leaving the party-room shortly after the vote, Mr McCormack was pressed on whether his colleagues had betrayed him but said he thanked them for “the great privilege” to serve.

“It’s called democracy,” he said.

RELATED: Barnaby Joyce’s leadership return would not go well with women voters

Barnaby Joyce has returned to the Nationals leadership. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Michael McCormack has been toppled just over a year after seeing off a challenge from Mr Joyce. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Deputy leader David Littleproud, who replaced Bridget McKenzie in 2020, remained in the role after Mr Drum confirmed “nothing has changed” expect for the leadership.

Mr Joyce’s return was set to heighten divisions in the Coalition over climate change, with Mr Joyce’s supporters staunch opponents of a net zero emissions target floated by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Ahead of the party-room meeting, Mr McCormack dismissed claims his performance had prompted leadership rumblings, which he said were motivated by personal ambition.

He claimed he had the numbers and a failed leadership coup should force agitators to consider their positions.

“If I survive, then the people who actually run against me should think long and hard about their futures, and I think they should think long and hard about the role that they need to play in government. They should stop being so destabilising,” he told reporters on Monday.

Mr McCormack said disagreements should be thrashed out “behind closed doors”, claiming regional voters would be dismayed to see politicians “talking about themselves”.

“It’s one thing to get a page-six headline in a tabloid newspaper or a bit of a grab on Sky News after dark. That’s not what I’m about; I’m about getting outcomes for regional people,” he said.

David Littleproud remains Nationals Deputy Leader. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Labor Leader Anthony Albanese described the spill as a “vote of no confidence in their own government”, accusing the Coalition of being “self-indulgent” during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The rolling of Michael McCormack, a decent human being, by Barnaby Joyce, represents the sixth combination of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister under the eight long years of this government,” he said.

“The fact is if you want to end this circus, it’s time to end this government. I’ve seen governments be self-indulgent before and get punished.

“There has been no reason given for the rolling of the leader of the National Party, other than self-indulgence and a power hungry-mob engaging in politics at a time when we should be focused on what happens outside this building.”

Mr Joyce, who resigned as Nationals leader in 2018, earlier described Mr McCormack as “a good bloke … doing the best job he can” but left the door open to a challenge if a spill was called.

“There is no prospect of a spill at this point in time. I would just let that issue arise … Ask me if that happens. Ask me if that happens,” he told Sunrise on Monday.

No Nationals MP went public with plans to call a leadership ballot.

Anthony Albanese has described the result as a ‘vote of no confidence in their own government’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

But with parliament sitting for the last time before a long winter break, and with an election due within the year, the week was Mr Joyce’s last realistic chance to dethrone Mr McCormack.

He reiterated concerns over the Nationals leadership, saying the party needed to develop a “clearly identifiable” policy structure before the next election.

“There are times where I think we could do things differently, there’s no doubt about that. But that’s a decision for the party room. I’ve read articles this week which are so far ahead of the show; they’re entertaining, just not correct,” he said on Monday.

“I’m not going to start delving into what is National Party business. They can have that, they can make those discussions and decisions themselves.”

Mr Joyce attempted to unseat Mr McCormack in February 2020 but, after falling short, described the issue as “finalised”.

But unease over Mr McCormack’s leadership has lingered and was heightened by his shaky performance in question time last week.

The Acting Prime Minister refused to give full-throated support for Resources Minister Keith Pitt, who on Thursday undercut Prime Minister Scott Morrison by claiming a net zero emissions target had not been raised with the Nationals.

Mr Morrison insisted he had a “wonderful partnership” with Mr McCormack and urged the Coalition to focus on a busy sitting week.

“We’ve worked very closely together and provided great, stable leadership for Australia … The Nationals will have their discussions, I’m sure, as they always do. We’ll just get on with the job,” he told 2GB Radio.

Mr Canavan, who resigned from cabinet to support Mr Joyce at the last spill, confirmed he had called Mr McCormack over the weekend to reiterate his support for the potential challenger.

Scott Morrison insists he has enjoyed a ‘wonderful partnership’ with Michael McCormack.

“It’s nothing personal. It’s just we’ve got to make sure we put our best foot forward to the people of regional Australia to keep this government electable,” he said.

Mr Canavan said he had no desire to return to the frontbench should Mr Joyce assume the leadership.

Mr Joyce was forced to resign in 2018 after revelations of an extramarital affair with a staffer and as he faced a sexual harassment allegation, which he vigorously denied.

Nationals MP Michelle Laundry warned that the Nationals faced dissent from women both within the party and the voters if Mr Joyce returned to the leadership.

“I think that if he became leader again there would be women out there that would be unhappy with that,’’ she told news.com.au.

“It’s destabilising for everybody. Look, obviously there was a lot of feedback last time. I think he would have to tread carefully if he became leader again because there were women that weren’t happy.

But Mr Canavan rejected suggestions Mr Joyce’s “personal issues” would pose a political problem for the party.

“He was re-elected with a massive margin in his own seat, and last time I checked … about 50 per cent of New England are women,” he said.