Nationals leader Michael McCormack in surf peace mission to heal partyroom rifts

Michael McCormack will travel to Llew O’Brien’s electorate in a bid to ease tensions inside the Nationals’ split partyroom.

Nationals leader Michael McCormack. Picture: AAP

Michael McCormack will travel to Llew O’Brien’s Queensland electorate on Friday, after hosting a lunch for colleagues, in a bid to ease tensions inside the Nationals’ split partyroom.

Mr O’Brien, who quit the ­Nationals on Monday, confirmed he would attend the opening of the revamped Sunshine Beach Surf Lifesaving Club alongside the Deputy Prime Minister.

The surf club received a $2.5m Building Better Regions Fund grant two months before 2019’s May 18 election.

“Michael McCormack is coming to officially open it so our names will be on that plaque together forevermore,” Mr O’Brien told The Australian.

“I think I am going to pass on Valentine’s Day in 2020.”

The Wide Bay MP, who teamed up with Labor, the crossbench and rogue Nationals MPs on Monday to win the Deputy Speaker’s job ahead of Mr McCormack’s pick, Damian Drum, said the week had taken a “very heavy” emotional toll on him.

Responding to suggestions the Liberal National Party could set up a separate arm in Canberra, Mr O’Brien said no Queensland MPs had raised it with him.

Mr McCormack hosted a leader’s lunch at parliament on Thursday, a regular gathering held each sitting fortnight in his office. The lunch, which Mr McCormack paid for, included chicken, ham, salads, rolls, fruit and chocolate.

The Nationals leader has moved to neutralise the damaging fallout from last week’s leadership spill, with political enemies yesterday saying they would publicly “support” their leader.

The Australian understands the reprieve from infighting that has crippled the Nationals was likely to be temporary because key agitators were still focused on changing the leader.

Nationals MP David Gillespie, whom The Australian was told called Mr McCormack a “liar” in Monday’s partyroom, said he was “supporting” his leader.

“The spill was conducted. He (Barnaby Joyce) lost. He’s got over it. He’s exercised his right and we’re all focusing on getting things delivered for the nation and for our constituency in particular,” Dr Gillespie said.

He said he was disappointed by Mr O’Brien’s decision to quit the Nationals. “We’re trying to keep him ­obviously deeply involved in the Coalition. I’ve known Llew for a long time, he’s a great guy, I have hopes that over time I would dedicate my activities to getting him back inside the Nationals family,” he said.

Larry Anthony, the Nationals federal president, labelled suggestions the LNP could sit separately in parliament as a “red herring”.

Mr Anthony, who has been in Canberra attempting to restore calm in Nationals ranks, said it had been a “very messy two weeks” for the party.

Asked about leadership speculation and leaking against Mr McCormack, Mr Anthony said “it’s not sustainable”.

“This is not something we do in the National Party. Our base … expect better of our members. Let’s have a little bit more order and let history unfold,” he told Sky News.

Mr Anthony said Mr Joyce lost the leadership vote and it was time for the party to “focus on the things that matter for the Aus­tralian public”.

“I don’t want to see the party go into tribes,” he said.

Nationals senator Matt Canavan, who quit as resources minister to back Mr Joyce, said a breakaway LNP group in parliament wasn’t “on the cards”.

“I don’t think the discussion is a serious one,” he said.

“Obviously, our former colleague Llew O’Brien has left the Nationals and created an LNP room here, I suppose, with himself. It’s not something I supported. I tried to talk him out of it.

“That’s happened though … but I’m not aware of anybody else considering joining Llew.”

Scott Morrison said he had “no concerns” about an LNP faction.