Pitt quits with big serve at Littleproud over Nats ‘obedience’ to Peter Dutton’s Liberals

Under David Littleproud, the Nationals are becoming irrelevant to their regional-based constituency by turning their backs on coal-fired power, retiring MP Keith Pitt says.

LNP Hinkler MP Keith Pitt is quitting politics, and unhappy the party under leader David Littleproud ‘is becoming irrelevant to its regional-based constituency’.

Federal Nationals MP Keith Pitt is quitting politics, warning that the party under leader David Littleproud was becoming irrelevant to its regional-based constituency by maintaining a commitment to net zero emission targets and turning its back on coal-fired power.

The former Morrison government resources minister accused Mr Littleproud of ensuing the Nationals were obedient to the Coalition Liberal partner on issues like emissions targets in their bid to win city voters ahead of the election, due next year.

Mr Pitt, who would likely have retained the Queensland seat of Hinkler he has held since 2013, told The Australian the Nationals and Mr Littleproud needed to “stand up and be strong” to ­survive.

“And to do that, you’ve got to separate from your brothers and sisters in the Liberal Party because they have, on occasions, different views to us,’’ he said.

The Nationals signed-up to the goal of net zero emissions under former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, in a deal with then prime minister Scott Morrison, in exchange for $20bn in ­regional funding.

But some Nationals MPs and senators, including Mr Pitt, have since agitated to withdraw the party’s commitment and challenge Mr Littleproud’s support of the net zero emissions targets, with the retiring MP saying it wasn’t in the interests of rural and regional Australians.

”I am talking about the impact in the cost of committing to net zero emissions targets and the subsequent green policies that have to be paid for,’’ he said.

“And while there is literally zero impact on the temperature of the planet, it has huge impacts on the wallets of regional people.’’

While Mr Pitt said he believed Peter Dutton would be a “fabulous prime minister” if elected, describing him as “strong and a leader of conviction”, he was critical of Mr Littleproud.

“We clearly have very different views on what’s the priority and direction for the Nationals,’’ he said, when asked about Mr Littleproud’s leadership.

“In my view, political parties without purpose soon disappear.

“I just think there’s been a shift in terms of policy positions that is sold as discipline but it’s more about obedience. Our job is to win regional seats and represent those people and focus on their priorities, not to win seats in the inner cities in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.’’

Nationals leader David Littleproud follows Opposition Leader Peter Dutton after a press conference on the Coalition’s energy policies on December 13. Picture: John Gass/NewsWire

Mr Pitt joins a growing list of retiring Liberal and Nationals MPs at the 2025 election, including David Gillespie, Mark Coulton, Warren Entsch, Gavin Pearce, Nola Marino, Rowan Ramsey, Karen Andrews and Paul Fletcher.

Senators Simon Birmingham and Linda Reynolds are also exiting federal politics next year.

The Australian understands Mr Dutton at the weekend will unveil his final frontbench reshuffle ahead of the federal election following the retirements of Senator Birmingham and Mr Fletcher, who along with Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley are the most senior Liberal ­moderates.

Julian Leeser, Dan Tehan and James Paterson are among those rumoured to be under consideration to claim Senator Birmingham’s foreign affairs role.

Liberal insiders said Senator Paterson, considered one of the Coalition’s top performers, would likely remain as opposition home affairs spokesman.

Ms Ley, who as deputy Liberal leader can pick her preferred portfolio, is likely to continue as opposition industry, skills, training, small business and women spokeswoman until the election.

Liberal sources said they hoped Mr Dutton would ensure the moderates maintained a voice around the shadow cabinet table, and that the reshuffle was used to promote up-and-coming talent and women, including Claire Chandler and Zoe McKenzie.

Mr Fletcher’s replacement as opposition manager of business will be elevated into Mr Dutton’s leadership group.

The Australian understands Mr Littleproud, who sources claim has previously agitated to remove Mr Joyce from shadow cabinet, could also seek to shift frontbench jobs around inside the Nationals.

In an interview with The Australian, Mr Pitt said he had not sought a return to the Coalition frontbench and was quitting after being approached with an ­“opportunity” outside politics.

An early proponent of nuclear power, Mr Pitt said the Coalition’s nuclear policy was the “only option” to reach net zero emissions.

“If you’re going to build significant and significantly expensive assets owned by the taxpayer, you need to utilise them as much as you possibly can,’’ he said.

“If net zero is what floats your boat, this is the only option for reliable, affordable, zero emissions energy in the world, and that’s what we should be using.

“You can’t keep dancing with intermittent wind and solar and battery storage and everything else and expect things to be cheaper than they otherwise might be. But if it was all about cost, I’d be building coal-fired power stations.”

During the current term of parliament, Mr Dutton has lost five MPs and Senators from his joint partyroom, including Russell Broadbent who quit after losing pre-selection in his Victorian seat, Andrew Gee who resigned from the Nationals over his support for Anthony Albanese’s Indigenous voice referendum, Gerard Rennick who created his own party after failing to claim a top spot on the LNP Senate ticket and David Van who left the party amid allegations of sexual harassment.

The Liberals last year lost the Aston by-election to Labor following the ­retirement of Alan Tudge.

Liberal MP Ian Goodenough has threatened to run as an Independent after losing preselection in the Perth seat of Moore, while Hollie Hughes is unlikely to return following the 2025 election after being relegated to a likely unwinnable spot on the NSW Liberal Senate ticket.