Michael McCormack says Barnaby Joyce has his support for preselection

Deputy PM Michael McCormack says Barnaby Joyce has his “support” as his predecessor fights off an internal threat to his preselection.

Barnaby Joyce in the House of Representatives Chamber at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says Barnaby Joyce has his “support” as his predecessor fights off an internal threat to his preselection.

Sky News reported today that members of the NSW Nationals state executive were refusing to re-endorse Mr Joyce due to concerns about “more skeletons in the closet” after his much-publicised affair with a staffer when he was deputy prime minister.

The former Nationals leader told The Australian this morning that he should be ultimately judged on his policies and not his personal life.

Mr McCormack said Mr Joyce was doing a “wonderful job” as the government’s drought envoy and offered his support for his candidacy in New England.

“Look, I support Barnaby. He’s doing a wonderful job as the drought envoy. He’s doing a great job as the Member for New England. He has my support, he has the support of the party room,” he told reporters on the Sunshine Coast.

“He’s going through the normal vetting process that I, that Barnaby, that every other Nationals MP goes through.”

Mr Joyce said he was happy to go through the preselection process and would focus on policy, rather than his personal life.

“I’ll judge myself by the largest turnaround in agricultural commodity prices in Australian history,” he said.

“I’ll judge myself by in-land rail, I’ll judge myself by my work on the drought, I’ll judge myself on decentralisation. I’ll judge myself on my tireless work for the community.

“And if any other people want to judge me on my personal life, that’s a choice for them.”

The eight-member electorate selection committee tasked with re-endorsing the preselection of Mr Joyce has reportedly reached a deadlock and been unable to unanimously support his candidacy.

Sky News has been told that two of those committee members have been reluctant to back Mr Joyce as they believe there may be “more skeletons in his closet.”

Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and partner Vikki Campion during their tell-all interview with Seven's Sunday Night program.

Mr Joyce resigned as Nationals leader in February after weeks of pressure over an extramarital affair he had with his then-staffer, Vikki Campion. Ms Campion is now Mr Joyce’s partner and she gave birth to his son, Sebastian, in April.

There has been speculation Mr Joyce and his supporters has been angling to take back the federal Nationals leadership from Mr McCormack.

Mr Joyce has denied he will challenge Mr McCormack, but said he would like to be leader again one day.