Barnaby Joyce turns back on voters with One Nation defection

Nationals leader David Littleproud has accused Barnaby Joyce of betraying his electorate after the former deputy prime minister’s shock defection to One Nation.

Former Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has confirmed his long-awaited defection to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has confirmed his long-awaited defection to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation on Tamworth local radio, with Nationals leader David Littleproud decrying the decision as a betrayal of his electorate.

Mr Joyce said he had accepted an offer from Senator Hanson to join her right-wing minor party after a long period of deliberation, and would remain as the member for New England until the next election when he will lead One Nation’s NSW Senate ticket.

“It’s something I’ve really considered over a long period of time, I’m really aware there will be some hurt in this decision and I understand that,” he said in a radio interview with 88.9 Tamworth radio on Monday.

“Pauline and I have known each other for a long period of time. Pauline made an offer to me to come to One Nation, and I have taken that up.”

Mr Joyce – who will be the first One Nation MP in the House of Representatives for nearly 30 years – said he was philosophically aligned” with Senator Hanson and that she had “driven the pol­itical agenda” and pushed the ­Coalition into dropping net zero.

“I have great respect for the work that Pauline has done; she has driven the political agenda, she has made us – when I was with the Coalition – react to where she has gone. And that’s been an incredibly positive thing for our ­nation,” he said.

“Till the end of this term, the people of New England, I’m going to be absolutely laser-like focused on them … Then its up to the people of NSW and they will have a choice as to whether they believe that I’m worthy of the great honour of being a senator for NSW.”

Senator Hanson, who led the minor party to a record high 15 per cent share of the primary vote in the latest Newspoll, said she “was proud to have Barnaby on board” and that he would help hold Labor and the opposition to account.

“With his knowledge and experience in many areas, especially economics as well as the rural sector – he’s been deputy prime minister, he’s had portfolios, I think he has a lot to offer,” she said.

“He’s going to enhance (One Nation) and (we’ll) give him more of a voice to speak up on the most important issues to him, where he was stifled by the National Party or pushed to the backbench because they didn’t want him.”

Mr Littleproud said Mr Joyce’s decision was “disappointing” and blamed a breakdown in their relationship to his leadership ambitions. “Barnaby Joyce’s decision to join One Nation is disappointing. One Nation is a party of protest, not a party of government … today, Barnaby’s decision breaks the contract he made with the people of New England at the 2025 federal election,” he said in a statement.

“The Nationals supported Barnaby through many difficult times, including during his darkest moments. Barnaby has chosen to turn his back on the Nationals and on his electorate and instead join a party of protest, which is never able to achieve anything other than headlines.

“I have never had a personal issue or problem with Barnaby Joyce. This issue is about Barnaby wanting to be the leader of a party.”

Mr Joyce said his “professional relationship within the Nationals between myself and leadership had become incongruous with me giving my best”.

“I am firmly of the view … the best choice before me is to stand for One Nation as a senator.”