Former Australian politician Barnaby Joyce has announced he will not seek re-election for his seat in New England during the next federal election. This decision follows his resignation from the Nationals party, which he attributed to deteriorating relationships within the party leadership.
In a letter to branch members, Joyce expressed his feelings of disillusionment, stating, “My relationship with the leadership of the Nationals in Canberra has unfortunately, like a sadness in some marriages, irreparably broken down.” He confirmed his intention to finish his current term but clarified that he is now exploring other political avenues.
Reports suggest Joyce is in discussions with Pauline Hanson, the leader of One Nation, about a potential shift to that party. While he did not confirm these talks in his statement, he mentioned he is open to considering all options moving forward. “I am free to now consider all options as to what I do next,” he stated.
Joyce’s departure from the Nationals has been a point of contention, particularly since he was demoted from the party’s frontbench by current leader David Littleproud earlier in the year. Joyce has been a vocal critic of the federal government’s net zero emissions-reduction policy, arguing that it has caused significant distress in his electorate and among small businesses. He wrote, “Our position in continuing to support net zero… makes continuing in the Nationals’ Party Room in Canberra under this policy untenable.”
The veteran MP also criticized recent instructions from the Nationals leadership that limited his campaign activities during the last federal election. He lamented, “The instructions that during the federal election I was not to campaign outside New England… means I am seen and now turning into a discordant note. That is not who I want to be.”
Joyce revealed that he was traveling in Central Queensland when the news of his departure broke, expressing a desire for more time to contemplate his political future. Having been first elected in 2013, Joyce’s tenure in the seat of New England has been marked by significant political events and controversies.
At a media event in Tamworth, Hanson welcomed Joyce’s potential move to One Nation, stating, “What I’m saying is, there’s a movement that’s happening in Australia … people are fed up with the major political parties.” She emphasized that Joyce’s views on migration and net zero align more closely with One Nation than with the Nationals.
Hanson further criticized the treatment Joyce received within his former party, saying, “They’ve put him on the back bench. Just sit there, shut up, Barnaby, we don’t want to hear from you.” She extended an invitation to Joyce, asserting, “Barnaby, I’ll open doors for you, come across to One Nation.”
Joyce’s exit from the Nationals comes at a time of increasing scrutiny within the Coalition. Recently, Andrew Hastie, a Liberal leadership aspirant, resigned from the Coalition frontbench after expressing his dissatisfaction with the party’s stance on net zero emissions.
As the political landscape shifts, Joyce’s next steps will be closely monitored, particularly as his departure reflects broader challenges facing traditional political parties in Australia.
