Barnaby Joyce is jumping ship from the Nationals but hasn’t confirmed whether he will join right-wing minor party One Nation after rampant speculation over his future.
The twice-deputy prime minister and leader of the rural party announced the move in parliament on Thursday after previously saying he wouldn’t recontest his seat of New England, citing an irreparable breakdown in his relationship with leader David Littleproud.
“After 30 years with the National Party, I’m resigning from the party and that really leaves me with a heavy heart,” he told the lower house in a 90-second statement.
Mr Joyce said he had to find a more effective way to stand up for regional Australians after three decades in the National Party.
But he later told reporters he hadn’t made up his mind on whether to join One Nation.
Mr Joyce hasn’t sat in the Nationals’ party room since announcing in October that he wouldn’t recontest the seat at the 2028 election.
Mr Joyce’s Nationals’ colleagues had worked for weeks to convince their former leader to stay in the party. However, Mr Joyce claims the party leadership had not tried to get him to stay.
“Since initially announcing this five weeks ago, there has been no communication with either the Leader or Deputy Leader of The Nationals apart from a 90 second phone conversation.”
“For me being a discordant voice in the furthest corner of the back bench of the Coalition in Opposition is not giving me the capacity to give my best endeavours to have an effect,” he said.
“I acknowledge that this will create great hurt for so many, and I am so deeply sorry for that, but I hope over time people realise that it wasn’t as dramatic as first thought, the world moves on and, after a period of reticence, if we were friends before we will become friends again.”
The New England Times Engage Poll published last week showed little support for Joyce continuing as an independent or joining One Nation, with the majority of voters wanted him to continue as a National and see out his term, but not contest the next election.
The move will clear the way for the Nationals to nominate their next candidate for New England and give them plenty of time to campaign before the next election not due until 2028.
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