Barnaby Joyce does not rule out run at Nationals leadership after Coalition crisis

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Barnaby Joyce does not rule out run at Nationals leadership after Coalition crisis

Barnaby Joyce will not rule out a bid for the National Party leadership after the Coalition’s collapse and rekindling in a chaotic two weeks.

The senior Nationals MP has not hid his criticism of David Littleproud’s handling of Coalition negotiations with the Liberal Party, calling last week’s split a “complete shocker”.

Mr Joyce said on Monday he was not actively vying to oust his boss, but it was up to the party room.

Camera IconSenior Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has not ruled out a run for the party leadership following the Coalition crisis. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia

“I’m not challenging, I’m definitely not,” he told Seven.

“I’ve got other things I’m thinking about, but if the party room decides to do something … that’s up to them.”

Mr Joyce went on to say he wanted “it sorted out”.

Asked if Mr Littleproud would stay on as leader, Mr Joyce said he did not know.

“That’s a question for the (party) room,” he said.

“I mean, that’s up to the room, what they decide to do.”

Fellow former leader Michael McCormack last week sparked rumours he was considering a challenge.

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“I’m not planning to roll David any time soon,” he told the ABC.

In his remarks on Monday, Mr Joyce said it was Mr McCormack’s “right” if he wanted it.

“If he decides to go for the leadership, it’s his right to go for it,” he said.

“He’s a good bloke, I respect Mike. If he decides to do it, he decides to do it.”

Mr Joyce and Mr McCormack were among several senior National Party figures Sussan Ley reached out to in a last-ditch bid to save the Coalition.

Despite the talk of threats to his leadership, Mr Littleproud on Sunday said he was “pretty relaxed”.

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“The vast majority of my party room decided to leave the Coalition,” he told Sky News.

“I enacted what was directed by me, and as a matter of days, because we took a principled position. The Liberal Party decided to revisit their position and yield to the fact that we wanted those four policy areas,” he added, referring to nuclear energy, divestiture powers, a regional fund and better mobile phone coverage in the regions.

Mr Littleproud said he would “rather go to (parliament) standing for something, and if I have to lose my job for it, I don’t care”.

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