Nationals senator Matt Canavan weighs in on Barnaby Joyce’s defection to One Nation
A Nationals senator has labelled Barnaby Joyce’s defection to One Nation a “dummy spit” - and asked a big question about his political future.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan has labelled Barnaby Joyce’s defection to One Nation a “dummy spit”, after the New England MP confirmed he would run on the populist party’s ticket at the next election.
Mr Joyce formally announced he was joining Pauline Hanson’s One Nation on Monday, following his resignation from the National Party two weeks prior.
He will continue to represent New England as a One Nation MP in parliament until the next federal election, at which he will lead the party’s NSW Senate ticket.
Senator Cananvan had previously been vocal advocate for Mr Joyce to reconsider his decision to leave the Nationals, and had publicly encouraged the rebel MP to stay.
On Tuesday, he told Today there was “no doubt” Mr Joyce’s exit was a “loss”.
“I wanted him to stay … but when you have a loss from your team, it’s just incumbent on everyone else to step up,” he said.
Pressed on his reaction to the news, he reiterated his wish for the New England MP to have rejoined the Nationals and questioned the move to One Nation.
“I think yesterday seemed like a bit of a dummy spit,” he said.
“I mean, they - Pauline and Barnaby - announced it at the Tamworth saleyards there, but afterwards I felt like asking the question … what was the thing that you were going to do differently than what Barnaby was doing in the National Party?”
Immigration and net zero were key policy areas that factored into Mr Joyce’s move to One Nation.
However, Mr Canavan said those two areas had been a focus for the Coalition regardless, with the Nationals committed to dumping net zero, and an immigration policy on the horizon.
“And so it would have been better, I think, for Barnaby to do that in the team,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot more numbers in parliament. We’re much closer to changing the government.
“But as I say, he’s throwing the toys out of the cot and done that.
“I’m not going to cry over it now.
“I’m just, as I say, more determined to fight for our country, get things fixed, which is my job.”
Mr Joyce has also repeatedly cited a falling-out with party leadership as the reason for his exit from the Nationals.
Questioned on whether Nationals leader David Littleproud should have worked harder to keep Mr Joyce in the party, Mr Canavan said: “Well, look, it’s been very unfortunate that over the last four years we’ve now lost four members of our team, two defections and it is incumbent on the leadership to try and keep people together.”
“So we’ve got to try and fix that, that can’t keep happening,” he said.
When asked directly if Mr Littleproud had lost control of the party, Mr Canavan said the Nationals couldn’t “afford to keep losing people like this”.
“Well, as I say, it is the leader’s job is to keep the team together and that hasn’t happened the last few years,” he said.
“I think David’s done an excellent job since the election in corralling both our party room and the Liberal party room to a better position on energy, going against this radical net zero agenda. That’s great.
“We’ve got to move together like that now because we can’t afford to keep losing people like this.”
‘Not getting ahead of myself’: Joyce
Speaking to the ABC on Tuesday, Mr Joyce denied the move was influenced by personal ambition to become leader, rather than One Nation’s policy platform.
“The point is, I’ll be retiring from New England, I’m not standing for New England as an independent,” he said.
“I’m leaving money behind in the accounts to allow the National Party to campaign.
“And I’m not elected, I’m not getting ahead of myself here. I’m not elected to the Senate.
“I have to campaign for a seat that I’d have to win in the Senate for New South Wales.
“So then it becomes a decision of the people of New South Wales as to whether I’m elected to the Senate.
“So I don’t see this as jumping ships into a completely sure position. This is taking a large risk, and I’m taking it, and we’ll see how we go.”
One Nation votes boom
This year, One Nation doubled its representation on the crossbench after clinching four seats in the election.
The two extra seats, in NSW and Western Australia, had earlier polled with Labor ahead, before the Australian Electoral Commission called them for the populist party’s candidates Warwick Stacey and Tyron Whitten, respectively.
The party’s popularity has also surged among voters, with a November Redbridge poll finding One Nation’s primary vote had risen to a poll-record 18 per cent, while the Coalition plummeted to 24 per cent.
The same polling found One Nation was regarded by voters as the party best suited to tackle immigration, leading by 27 per cent, followed by Labor’s 20 per cent and the Coalition’s 19 per cent.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson welcomed Mr Joyce’s decision.
“I have always been very straightforward about asking Mr Joyce to join our team, and on making it clear this was always his decision,” Senator Hanson said in a statement on Monday.
“I am pleased he’s chosen One Nation, and I welcome his experience, his advice and his determination to get a fair go for farmers and regional Australia.
