Barnaby Joyce to challenge Michael McCormack for Nationals leadership

Barnaby Joyce’s leadership challenge threatens to plunge the Morrison government into dangerous instability.

Leadership rumblings ... Nationals leader Michael McCormack (left) and his challenger, Barnaby Joyce.

Barnaby Joyce will challenge ­Michael McCormack for the ­Nationals leadership in a move that threatens to plunge the Morrison government into a dangerous period of instability and trigger a rewriting of the Coalition agreement.

As parliament returns on Tuesday, The Australian understands more than half of the Nationals’ 21-member partyroom was considering a move against the Deputy Prime Minister following the forced resignation of his deputy Bridget McKenzie, which has sparked anger among MPs.

While Scott Morrison was hosting drinks for Liberal MPs and some Nationals, including McMcCormack and Senator McKenzie, at The Lodge on Monday night, ­Resources Minister Matt Canavan offered to resign his cabinet post after informing Mr McCormack he would back Mr Joyce as leader.

Barnaby Joyce on Monday. Picture: Sky News

A motion to spill Mr McCormack’s job will be moved by Queensland MP Llew O’Brien on Tuesday morning in tandem with a vote to replace Senator McKenzie as deputy leader, which will be contested by David Littleproud, Keith Pitt and David Gillespie.

Mr Joyce, who resigned as ­Nationals leader in February 2018, following a series of scandals, ­on Monday spoke to colleagues in a bid to win support. About a dozen are potentially backing his ­nomination.

On Monday afternoon, the New England MP told Mr McCormack he would challenge for the leadership following months of internal divisions and concerns the country party was losing ground to One Nation and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers.

Mr Joyce said the Nationals should not be in the shadow of ­another party.

“The Prime Minister talks about the quiet Australians; our job is to represent the near invisible Australians,” Mr Joyce said.

The Australian understands that, if Mr Joyce falls short, Mr McCormack will remain vulnerable to future challenges before the next election, due in 2022.

Mr Joyce said he could not sit back and “wish things were better”, claiming he had learned lessons from his time on the backbench. “I have had two years to reflect on how to do jobs better,” he said. “I know that I have my faults; I don’t pretend to be perfect.

“I want to work with my colleagues to make sure that we give ourselves the very best chance to thrive and survive as a political party. We are being attacked on all sides. Whether it is Shooters and Fishers, whether it is One Nation, whether it is independent. We have to talk with our own voice in an honest and forthright way.”

Mr Joyce said the Nationals had to drive agendas for regional Australians doing it “tough”.

Mr McCormack, who unlike Mr Joyce did not reach out to colleagues after being in cabinet meetings for most of the day, said he was confident he would not lose his job.

Senator Canavan said Mr Joyce was an “effective fighter” and a “stayer” who could cut through in regional Australia.

The Queensland senator did not know if Mr Joyce, who previously was a Queensland senator, had the numbers to defeat Mr McCormack, but said new leadership was required. “These things are always judgment calls. Obviously it’s not something I’ve come to overnight but it’s also something that has built up over experience of course,” Senator Canavan said.

“Michael’s been a tireless campaigner for the bush. One thing that has changed is the broader environment we face in regional Australia. We struggle to get our voice heard, there is more need for a Nationals Party now than there ever has been before because of that and so we just have to fight a bit harder.”

Senator Canavan also said he had referred himself to the Prime Minister for failing to disclose he had signed up as a regional supporter of the North Queensland Cowboys NRL club, which received a loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

Liberal MPs who attended Mr Morrison’s drinks on Monday night said there was growing frustration inside Coalition ranks over fresh leadership instability. “We can’t believe after six months we are back where we began,” one Liberal MP said. “Didn’t we learn anything from the last term? People don’t think he is going to get anywhere near (winning the ballot). He is being irresponsible.”

Following Senator McKenzie’s demise, Labor has flagged it will pursue Mr McCormack over his role in the sports rorts scandal, namely a $145,000 grant provided to a local sports club linked to his son, and claims the Transport Minister used the Building Better Regions Infrastructure Fund to pork-barrel Coalition seats.

A McCormack supporter said of Tuesday’s partyroom meeting: “They have to get a seconder and then win the vote. He is not concerned.” The Joyce camp said it was close to securing the votes it needed to roll Mr McCormack but conceded support could peel off.

A senior Nationals source said Mr Joyce had a “clear advantage” over his rival.

“Barnaby has a trading advantage. There will have to be a new Coalition agreement, and the fact is Morrison is in a much weaker position than he was after the election,” the insider said.

“Many in the Nats were ­already frustrated by a perception that McCormack was being ­dominated by the Libs. We lost a ­cabinet spot and had the drought response hijacked by the ­Liberals.”

Mr Littleproud, the Water Minister, is expected to win the ballot for deputy leader ahead of Mr Pitt and Dr Gillespie. Senator Canavan had been expected to be promoted as the Nationals Senate leader.

If Mr McCormack holds on to the leadership, he is expected to bring Victorian MP Darren Chester back into cabinet. Mr Chester denied he had done a deal to ­secure a cabinet spot.

Nationals MPs loyal to Mr McCormack said Mr Joyce had no more than “four or five supporters including himself”.

Senator McKenzie did not publicly endorse Mr McCormack’s leadership on Monday — a day after being forced to resign after Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Phil Gaetjens found she had breached the ministerial code of conduct.

“Everyone here who has known me for nearly 10 years knows I’m one of the people that don’t talk to you all about what happens in the partyroom,” Senator McKenzie said.

“So there is one vacancy ­tomorrow, that’s my deputy ­leadership position.

“In true National Party fashion, I’m sure there will be a Melbourne Cup field of candidates. As one of the most democratic institutions in this parliament for 100 years, the partyroom will take its own responsibility.”

Nationals federal president Larry Anthony said he was not surprised Mr Joyce remained interested in leading the party.

“As the president of the party I support the leader of the day,” Mr Anthony said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: ROSIE LEWIS,
RICHARD FERGUSON