Barnaby Joyce facing a challenger in preselection

Barnaby Joyce is facing a challenge in New England after the NSW Nationals approved a last-minute application from Army officer Alex Rubin.

Contender: Tenterfield-born Army officer Alex Rubin.

Barnaby Joyce is facing a preselection challenge in New England after the NSW Nationals approved a last-minute application from Army officer Alex Rubin to run against the former deputy prime minister.

The NSW Nationals’ candidate nomination committee met last week to approve the preselection applications of Mr Joyce and Mr Rubin.

Mr Rubin, who is from Tenterfield but currently lives outside of the electorate in northern NSW, sent an email to senior New England branch members last week outlining his reasons for running against Mr Joyce.

The Australian understands Mr Rubin had alerted senior Nationals figures including Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack about his intention to run for preselection.

“I believe that our elected representatives, must be accountable to the electorate and not given a ‘free pass’ for re-election. Our membership should have a democratic vote during preselection instead (of) being with (a) ‘one horse race’,” Mr Rubin said.

The father of two young children, who played a role in the international cave rescue operation in Thailand and recently returned to live in northern NSW after working for the ADF in Sydney, told senior New England branch members he had “longer term political aspirations to represent the community that I still call home”.

“I am aware that some members may not agree with this nomination; however, I firmly believe that it is in the best interest of the Party and future of our region,” he said.

Sources close to Mr Rubin described the preselection contest, which will be finalised by May 8, as a “David versus Goliath” battle and confirmed he would live in the electorate if successful.

Barnaby Joyce during Question Time in the House of Representatives in Parliament House Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The Nationals are particularly wary of seats like New England, previously held by Tony Windsor, of falling to independents with ongoing speculation that National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson may run in the electorate at future elections.

The preselection contest comes after Nationals MPs George Christensen and Ken O’Dowd announced they would retire from politics at the next election, leaving their central Queensland seats vulnerable to Labor.

The Liberal National Party is seeking high profile candidates to run in Dawson and Flynn to nullify the loss of two veteran MPs.

While Mr Joyce was understood to be frustrated by the process which allowed the challenge, sources close to him warned “just because he is a (political) nobody, it doesn’t mean it’s nothing to worry about”. “

Look at Kevin Andrews,” the Nationals source said.

Given the small size of the Tenterfield branch, Mr Rubin was unlikely to be able to carry enough support from the central branches in Tamworth and Armidale.

Mr McCormack’s spokesman on Tuesday said the Deputy Prime Minister does “not intervene in Nationals’ preselection processes – these are rightly matters determined by local party members”.

“The Nationals will fight vigorously in every seat we contest at the next federal election, determined to continue our strong delivery for regional and rural Australia and to help our local communities lead Australia’s economic recovery,” the spokesman said.

NSW Nationals state director Joe Lundy did not return calls but a NSW Nationals spokesman said all members of the party were “entitled under our constitution and rules to contest preselections”.

“The party’s candidate nomination committee met last week and determined that two applications from prospective nominees for the New England preselection were submitted in accordance with Party rules, and permitted two nominees to go to preselection,” the spokesman said.

“Mr McCormack was not present at the Candidate Nomination Committee meeting and had no input in the matter.”

Gunnedah Mayor Jamie Chaffey on Tuesday confirmed he had considered running for preselection in the seat of Parkes but decided against it after 63-year-old Nationals MP Mark Coulton, a close ally of Mr McCormack, chose to recontest.