Coalition turmoil: Israel trip delayed as Turnbull faces crisis

Malcolm Turnbull’s trip to Israel is under review and his departure delayed after yesterday’s High Court decision.

Malcolm Turnbull in Canberra yesterday. Picture: AAP

Malcolm Turnbull’s trip to Israel is under review and his departure delayed after a High Court decision yesterday threw the government into crisis by finding the election of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce invalid.

Mr Joyce will remain the ­Nationals leader as he recontests his seat of New England in northern NSW and Liberal sources were yesterday expecting that deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop would serve as acting prime minister in Mr Turnbull’s absence.

Talks on the arrangements were continuing late last night, and it was expected Mr Turnbull’s trip to Israel would be delayed until Sunday night or Monday.

The Weekend Australian was told by Coalition sources that Mr Joyce was likely to receive part of his base salary while he recontested his seat in a similar arrangement to that in 2013 when he moved from the Senate to the lower house. It was estimated yesterday that arrangement cost the Nationals party about $30,000.

The High Court decision — which also struck out the eligibility of Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash — triggered a broader shake-up in ministerial responsibilities, with the Prime Minister taking Mr Joyce’s portfolios of agriculture and water.

Ms Nash’s portfolios are being divided between Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, who takes regional communications, and Transport Minister Dar­ren Chester, who takes on regional development, territories and local government.

Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan, who was cleared by the High Court, resumed his seat at the cabinet table and was sworn in yesterday afternoon as the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.

Talks were continuing last night about arrangements for the deputy prime ministership, with government sources suggesting the position would remain vacant during Mr Joyce’s absence from the parliament.

Although it is technically possible under the Constitution for Mr Joyce to continue to serve as Deputy Prime Minister for up to three months outside parliament, it is thought this would be seen as a politically unviable option and open to attacks by Labor. The Coalition agreement — a secret document negotiated between the leaders of the Liberal and Nationals parties — usually requires the most senior National MP to serve as deputy prime minister and stand in when required for the prime minister.

Northern Territory senator Nigel Scullion, who was endorsed by the Nationals partyroom to be the interim party leader until Mr Joyce returns, is currently the most senior Nationals MP.

Last night Nationals sources were uncertain about who would serve as acting prime minister.

It was also thought that Ms Nash would be given a “period of grace” of several weeks during which she would remain deputy leader while investigations were made to see whether she could be returned to the upper house.

Ms Bishop, the Foreign Minister, has a claim to serve as the acting prime minister given she stood in for then prime minister Tony Abbott to lead question time on December 3, 2014. Mr Abbott was absent to attended the funeral of Australian cricketer Phillip ­Hughes.

Former treasurer Peter Cost­ello also filled in on occasion for John Howard and released a statement on August 2, 1997, as “acting prime minister” to welcome the discovery that Stuart Diver had survived a catastrophic landslide at Thredbo.