NewsBite

The Nationals

EXCLUSIVENation

Health Minister Mark Butler with Anthony Albanese and Sports Minister Anika Wells at a Matildas game on 2023-08-12.

Butler billed taxpayers to fly family on Matildas weekend

Anthony Albanese is under pressure to probe if Attorney-General Michelle Rowland broke the Ministerial Code of Conduct and should be sacked over contravening family reunion rules, as a Nationals frontbencher is found to have spent $12,000 on family flights to Perth.

Noah Yim and Elizabeth Pike

EditorialEditorials

Johannes Leak commentary page cartoon for 13-12-2025 Version: Commentary Cartoon (4:3, 1024x768 - Aspect ratio preserved, Canvas added) COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications. Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.

Reality check for entitled politicians long overdue

The political expenses debacle in Canberra is the tip of an iceberg that represents how out of touch the ruling class has become.

Editorial

ClimatePolitics

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy of Australia, Chris Bowen, speaks at Australia's pavilion during the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil, on November 17, 2025. Bowen launched into public appearances on his first day at COP30 on Monday, making a light-hearted quip about the hosting war before a friendly crowd at the Australian pavilion.

Nationals, One Nation cop Bowen bush bash

Chris Bowen attacks Nationals for abandoning regional Australia and spreading ‘disturbing lies about koalas and wind farms’, as he blitzes the rural seats of Sussan Ley and Michael McCormack.

NEWSBreaking News

Eight million dollars worth of luxury watches and jewellery remain missing after a “targeted” burglary into a Canberra home.

Rare $5.8m watch missing after burglary

Four French nationals have been charged over an alleged $10 million luxury goods heist, but $8 million worth of items remain missing – including a rare and unique “Smiley” watch.

Pamela Rontziokos

commentaryCommentary

Pauline Hanson dines with Barnaby Joyce amid One Nation defection speculation. Picture: Supplied

The sentence I never wanted to write about my old friend Barnaby Joyce

To see my good friend and colleague fall to Pauline’s charm, like so many before him, is distressing. The far right has always been alluring, but only because it is easy.

EXCLUSIVENation

Ex-Australian Senator Ron Boswell at his home in Brisbane, and, inset, with fellow then-Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce in 2006. Pictures: Glenn Hunt / The Australian / News Corp

‘I hope Barnaby fails in his next political task’: Nationals elder

Former powerbroker Ron Boswell has launched a scathing attack on Barnaby Joyce’s defection to One Nation, saying the far right poses a dangerous threat to Australian unity.

NewsBreaking News

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos NOVEMBER 17 2025; Pauline Hanson arrives at Federal Court, to appeal after Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi sued her under the Racial Discrimination Act after the One Nation founder told her to Ãpiss off back to PakistanÃ in an ugly social media clash following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

One Nation stuns Australia in massive result

One Nation has shocked Australia with staggering new polling off the back of Pauline Hanson’s burqa stunt and Barnaby Joyce’s defection.

Nathan Schmidt

CommentaryEditorials

John Spooner Commentary Page Cartoon for 09-12-2025 Version: Commentary Cartoon (4:3, 1024x768 - Aspect ratio preserved, Canvas added) COPYRIGHT: The Australian's artists each have different copyright agreements in place regarding re-use of their work in other publications. Please seek advice from the artists themselves or the Managing Editor of The Australian regarding re-use.

PM can’t ignore damage inflicted by minister’s taste for the high life

Politics is hard on families, with long periods away from home. But taxpayer-funded reunions shouldn’t extend to expensive holidays and corporate boxes at sporting events.

Editorial

POLITICSNewsWire

Barnaby Joyce has been criticised by Nationals senator Matt Canavan after jumping ship.

‘Dummy spit’: Barnaby’s defection lashed

A Nationals senator has labelled Barnaby Joyce’s defection to One Nation a “dummy spit” – and asked a big question about his political future.

LoyaltyPolitics

Barnaby Joyce has defected to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Senator Pauline Hanson has today travelled to Tamworth in the heart of New England to join local MP, former Nationals leader and former deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and announce he has joined One Nation. Picture: NewsWire Handout

Joyce turns back on voters with One Nation defection

Nationals leader David Littleproud has accused Barnaby Joyce of betraying his electorate after the former deputy prime minister’s shock defection to One Nation.

Politics NowNation

Jim Chalmers and Barnaby Joyce

Treasurer scraps energy rebates; Barnaby Joyce confirms One Nation move

The rebates, which have cost the commonwealth about $7bn, won’t continue after the end of the year as the government battles high inflation; Barnaby Joyce says the end of his 20-year membership of the Nationals will cause ‘some hurt’.

Thomas Henry and Jack Quail

UPDATEDNewsWire

A A A A A A A A

‘Two turns’: Pauline’s bizarre Biden swipe

Pauline Hanson has vowed to remain One Nation leader after Barnaby Joyce’s defection, making a bizarre comparison to questions around Joe Biden’s mental acuity when questioned about her own future.

Ria Pandey and Pamela Rontziokos

POLITICSNewsWire

Barnaby Joyce has criticised Anika Wells for taxpayer-funded trips.

‘Trainwreck’: Barnaby erupts over $1k dinner

The New England MP has blown up over new details of taxpayer-funded trips taken by Anika Wells, including a $1,000 dinner in Paris.

HEALTHCARENewsWire

Bridget McKenzie has slammed Labor's approach to affordable healthcare.

‘Failing’: MP slams healthcare under Labor

A Nationals senator has lashed Labor’s healthcare policies for going in the “wrong direction”, amid rising out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

UPDATEDNewsWire

Elevated view of Mitchell Falls, located south west of Kalumburu

Foreign nationals arrested in remote WA

A group of six foreign nationals has been detained after being discovered outside a remote Indigenous community.

Nathan Schmidt and Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

Migration crackdownWorld

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions from reporters during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on December 1, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

‘Complete betrayal’: Trump begins purging Afghans Biden let in

The White House is doubling down on a major migration crackdown after the attack on two National Guard members, including reopening 90,000 Afghan resettlement cases.

sportMotorsport

oscar piastri matt canavan senate inquiry

Weird grilling over McLaren’s Piastri tactics

A Senate estimates hearing, fronted by transport department officials, has kicked off with an unorthodox grilling on McLaren’s treatment of Oscar Piastri.

CommentaryCommentary

Barnaby Joyce will decide if he will join Pauline Hanson's One Nation in the next few weeks.

Note to Barnaby: Hanson’s theatrics will lead to political oblivion

Hanson’s popular appeal remains the party’s greatest strength and greatest weakness. But with her as leader the party will remain a mirror image of the Greens.

POLITICSNewsWire

Barnaby Joyce has admitted the Coalition’s failure to address ageing coal-fired power plants was a “mistake”, after a newreport that warned the closure of a major NSW plant could risk blackouts. Picture: Seven

Barnaby fires up on blackout fears

The New England MP has lashed Labor’s approach to stabilising the energy grid, after an AEMO report delivered a grim warning for one Australian state.

unanimous votePolitics

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos NOVEMBER 30, 2025: Members support Palestine during the Queensland Labor's 60th State Conference held in Brisbane. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Labor backs war crime alert for IDF Aussies

Queensland Labor members have voted to demand Anthony Albanese’s government warn Australian citizens and dual-nationals serving in Israeli forces that they risk war crimes prosecutions.

Sarah Elks and Richard Ferguson

PoliticsNewsWire

Natonals leader David Littleproud, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and opposition home affairs spokesman Jonathon Duniam. Picture: NewsWire

Push for new test for Aussie visas

With net zero settled, the Coalition is carving out a new battleground. But some are more enthusiastic than others.

Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

POLITICSNewsWire

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and ex-Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce. Picture: NewsWire

Ley’s quizzed about Coalition deserter

Sussan Ley has revealed where she stands on Barnaby Joyce’s expected defection to One Nation.

Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

LAST POSTLetters

Nats have a vacancy as Joyce finds his own way out

Nats have a vacancy as Joyce finds his own way out

The Nationals now have a position vacant for a top-shelf political retail salesperson. Will anyone ever replace Barnaby Joyce?

INQUIRERInquirer

Sussan Ley's Coalition fails to exploit Chris Bowen's climate conflict.

Chaotic Coalition snuffs out faintest spark of revival

The opposition had a golden opportunity handed to it by Labor when Chris Bowen’s appointment as UN climate president finally embarrassed Anthony Albanese. Sussan Ley squibbed it.

Dennis Shanahan

Federal politicsPolitics

Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce. Pictures: News Corp

Does One Nation have a future without Hanson?

Pauline Hanson may have taken a big risk in welcoming Barnaby Joyce to the party that is her creation as a populist right-wing movement and personal brand.

UpdatedBreaking News

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - November 27, 2025: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attend the official prime ministerial portrait of former PM Malcolm Turnbull unveiling at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

‘This is nuts’: Bold claim about new Aussie laws

Labor was only paying ‘lip service’ to the Coalition over controversial new laws before cutting a deal with the Greens, an opposition MP says.

Nathan Schmidt

UPDATEDNewsWire

Bridget McKenzie has lambasted Barnaby Joyce's exit from the Nationals.

‘Betrayed everyone’: Fury at Barnaby move

Barnaby Joyce’s exit from the Nationals has been criticised by a former colleague, who has made a scathing assessment of the MP’s future.

MARGIN CALLMargin Call

19/07/2017 Former senator Rod Culleton with WA Liberal Senator Chris Back at the Senate committee inquiry into banks, during hearings in Perth at the Mercure Hotel. pic Colin Murty The Australian

A farm, a fake case and a former senator’s fight

Former One Nation senator Rod Culleton has lost another court battle over his repossessed farm after a judge found he cited non-existent case law in his latest legal challenge.

EXCLUSIVENation

Nationals member for New England Barnaby Joyce leaves after making a statement in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, November 27, 2025. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

Walked or pushed: Joyce takes right turn

Former Liberal leader Peter Dutton has fired back at Barnaby Joyce’s defection claims, citing alarming footage of the former Nationals MP lying on a street as his motivation.

NewsBreaking News

CANBERRA, Australia - NewsWire Photos - June 25, 2024: Barnaby Joyce holds a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Inside colourful career of maverick MP

Barnaby Joyce has left the Nationals after a long and storied career as one of the Coalition’s more colourful figures.

Nathan Schmidt

1
2
3
…
69

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/topics/the-nationals