Michael McCormack and Barnaby Joyce have forged an unlikely bromance that threatens the long-term future of wounded Nationals leader David Littleproud.
After shedding years of distrust and competitive tension, the old bulls of the country party are sharpening their horns in the anti-net-zero corner of the Nationals partyroom.
The odd couple – who served as deputy prime ministers under Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison between 2016 and 2022 – came together over shared frustrations about the party’s direction under Littleproud.
Along with some Nationals MPs and supporters, they have lost faith in Littleproud’s judgment and vision. McCormack and Joyce issued sharp rebukes of Littleproud’s post-election threat to quit the Coalition and their dumping from frontbench positions. The former Nationals leaders are now joining forces in support of Joyce’s private member’s bill to repeal the net zero by 2050 target endorsed by Peter Dutton and Littleproud at the May 3 election.
McCormack’s net-zero shift and refusal to rule out leadership ambitions is a warning sign that Littleproud faces a tough road ahead as Nationals leader in the 48th parliament.
The irony of net zero being a trigger for leadership rumblings is that McCormack was a long-time supporter of the emissions reduction target and Joyce was in charge when the original Coalition net-zero deal was negotiated with Morrison.
Amid pleas from city-based Liberals to shield the net-zero pledge and stare down pressure from the Nationals, McCormack’s move ramps-up pressure on Sussan Ley’s post-election review of the Coalition policy.
In the wake of Dutton’s heavy election defeat, anti-net-zero crusader Matt Canavan launched a muted contest for the Nationals leadership to ensure an internal debate was had on the future direction of the party.
While Littleproud comfortably retained the leadership, he was sent a strong message by his partyroom about net-zero targets. Littleproud, like Nationals leaders before him including McCormack and Joyce, also used shadow ministerial appointments to protect his position.
The 48-year-old, who knocked-off Joyce for the leadership after the 2022 election, completely mismanaged the Nationals threat to quit the Coalition. Some Nationals members who supported a split believe Littleproud should have held his nerve. Those opposed believe it is impossible for Littleproud to have a close working relationship with Ley. Either way, Littleproud put himself in a position of weakness.
Another point of dispute for McCormack and Joyce is Littleproud’s suggestion that demoting them was based on “generational change” rather than locking in votes for his leadership.
McCormack, who turns 61 next Saturday, has left the door open to running again in 2028 and will not rule out a play for the Nationals leadership he lost to Joyce in 2021.
Joyce, who faced high-level pressure ahead of the last election to retire, is also open to staying in parliament longer. After two stints as leader, the 58-year-old acknowledges he can’t return to the job and is prepared to swing his rump of supporters behind McCormack.
McCormack and Joyce are not suggesting an imminent leadership spill, but their alliance is a thorn in Littleproud’s side.
McCormack, considered one of the most genuine blokes in Canberra who boasts friendships across the parliament, is a long-time confidant of Ley, with the pair representing the neighbouring regional NSW seats of Riverina and Farrer.
During his stint as leader between 2018 and 2021, the former newspaper editor was criticised by Nationals colleagues for not cutting through or standing up stronger to the Liberals.
Through the highs and lows of his time as deputy prime minister, McCormack has emerged as a shrewder operator.
Some in the Nationals question whether Littleproud has the burning ambition to remain as leader for the long term if he feels he can’t match McCormack and Joyce in becoming deputy prime minister.
If McCormack threw his Akubra in the ring, or acted as a stalking horse for another candidate, Littleproud could be in trouble.
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