Barnaby Joyce not defecting to One Nation ‘any time soon’, ex-Nats leader says

One of Barnaby Joyce’s old rivals has weighed in on the rogue MP’s future in the National Party.

Michael McCormack says fellow former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce is not defecting to One Nation “any time soon”, after the rogue MP hinted he could.

Mr Joyce earlier this month sensationally declared he would not recontest his seat of New England, citing an irreparable breakdown in his relationship with National Party leader David Littleproud.

He then played into speculation that he could make a Senate run for One Nation, which he said was “not barking mad” on climate policy.

Mr McCormack, who Mr Joyce deposed as deputy prime minister in 2021, said on Tuesday his old rival still had a responsibility to serve out his current term with the Nationals.

Former Nationals leader Michael McCormack says Barnaby Joyce will not defect to One Nation ‘any time soon’. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

“I think that’s what you need to do when people are prepared to hand out for you, and they’re prepared to don your yellow T-shirt with ‘I’m backing Barnaby’ on the back,” Mr McCormack told Nine’s Today, adding that Mr Joyce “needs to continue to serve and sit with the Nationals”.

“I’ve always believed that life is determined by those who turn up.

“And it was a shame he didn’t turn up to the party room meeting.”

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has hinted he is mulling a defection to One Nation. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Joyce snubbed his colleagues by skipping their party room meeting on Monday.

He did so after Mr Littleproud publicly said he was welcome and had a role to play.

Mr Joyce was booted from his shadow cabinet position in a move Mr Littleproud put down to a “generational change”.

Both the phrase and the demotion ruffled Mr Joyce’s feathers and left him to lead a crusade against net-zero emissions by 2050 from the backbench, undermining Sussan Ley and Mr Littleproud’s shared vision of a wholesale post-election review.