Labor exploits Nats division with shock vote

In a crushing blow to Nationals leader Michael McCormack, dissident MP Llew O’Brien has won the deputy speaker role, downing McCormack's pick.

Michael McCormack, Llew O'Brien and Barnaby Joyce.

Dissident Nationals MP Llew O’Brien has won a shock victory to become deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, in a humiliating blow to Nationals leader Michael McCormack.

Mr O’Brien — who quit the Nationals partyroom late last night — accepted a nomination to be deputy speaker from Labor, pitching him against Mr McCormack’s candidate and Nationals whip Damien Drum.

The MP for Wide Bay beat Mr Drum by 75 votes to 67. Having quit the Nationals and rebelled against his former leader, he will now get a $42,000 pay rise as deputy speaker.

Mr O’Brien will speak to Scott Morrison later tonight and said he still firmly backed the government, despite his act of rebellion against his ex-leader Mr McCormack.

“It’s a democratic process. Michael McCormack is the leader of the National Party. I’m a member of the LNP sitting in the government,” he told Sky News.

“I respect Michael McCormack greatly as the deputy prime minister of this government and he has my full support as deputy prime minister of this government.”

The new deputy speaker said he did not he would be nominated by Labor when he briefly left the chamber.

Mr Morrison praised Mr O’Brien even though he was not the government’s candidate and this was his first House defeat since he won majority government last year.

“With two government ministers to choose from, I’m pleased to see government members received confidence of all the members for the House,” Mr Morrison said.

“There is no shortage of government members in this House to make sure that we continue to deliver on the promises we made the Australian people, Mr Speaker.”

‘That’s democracy’

Mr McCormack briefly congratulated Mr O’Brien.

“That’s democracy,” he told the House.

Mr O’Brien will no longer sit in the federal Nationals party room but will remain a member of the Queensland LNP, sit in the Coalition’s joint party room, and guarantee confidence and supply.

The Wide Bay MP moved last week’s failed spill motion against Nationals leader Michael McCormack and has been reluctant to support a raft of government policies in recent years.

Labor members could not contain their glee at successfully electing Mr O’Brien and Anthony Albanese told the House that the deputy speaker election had revealed the “chaos” within the Coalition.

“No amount of marketing or spin can hide the humiliation for the government. I congratulate the Member for Wide Bay,” Mr Albanese said.

“We have just seen the stability of the Coalition on full view. For everyone to see,

government members running against each other, for a position of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.”

Llew quitting incredibly sad: Joyce

Earlier, Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said his close ally Mr O’Brien’s move to quit the Nationals was “incredibly sad”, as the Morrison government moves to quell concerns its parliamentary majority is at any risk. 

Mr O’Brien will no longer sit in the federal Nationals party room but will remain a member of the Queensland LNP, sit in the Coalition’s joint party room, and guarantee confidence and supply.

The Wide Bay MP moved last week’s failed spill motion against Nationals leader Michael McCormack and has been reluctant to support a raft of government policies in recent years.

On Monday, Mr Joyce said he wanted Mr O’Brien to come back to the Nationals and called him “a good fellow and a good mate.”

“It’s incredibly sad,” Mr Joyce told ABC News.

“We want to keep him in the team, former vice president of the LNP, a person with so many years experience serving in the police force, and a good fellow and a good mate..” 

Former resources minister Matt Canavan – who quit cabinet to back Mr Joyce’s failed push for the Nationals leadership – said Mr O’Brien’s decision was not due to Mr McCormack’s continued leadership and he hoped the Deputy Prime Minister was trying to bring him back into the fold. 

“I don’t think it’s at all to do with those things. I hope Michael – along with everyone in the Nationals team – is doing their best to keep Llew part of us,” Senator Canavan told Sky News.

“Obviously, there’s been some frustration and disagreement within the Nationals. We can agree to disagree.”

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said on Monday morning that Mr O’Brien’s decision did not affect the government’s two-seat majority as the Wide Bay MP has promised Scott Morrison he would still back the government. 

“Llew O’Brien will continue to sit in our Coalition joint party room as a member of the LNP in Queensland and he also continues to support the government.” Mr Cormann told ABC News.

“I’m not aware of the ins and outs of the National Party internal, but in terms of the fundamentals, Llew O’Brien is a member of the LNP, remains a member of the joint party room and continues to support the government … That is what he has made clear to the Prime Minister,” 

But Anthony Albanese said Mr O’Brien’s move to break away was a sign of things to come for the Coalition.

“Well, the decision of Llew O’Brien to sit on the crossbench is just another example of the chaos that has beset the Coalition,” Mr Albanese said in Canberra.

“It, again, is them being obsessed by their internals. And this is just six months after the last election. Imagine what they would be like over the coming two years.”