Former Nationals leader to leave party

“People in Tamworth who used to be a staunch National party have now faced One Nation because they are beating their heads against a brick wall because their MPs don’t represent them,” Hanson said.

Former National Party leader Michael McCormack, who was removed from the National Party leadership by Joyce in 2022 while the coalition was in government, said Joyce had disappointed his National Party voters and the party that twice gifted him the Deputy Prime Ministership.

“You don’t throw your toys out of the crib just because you don’t get along with the leadership,” he said.

“I lost the position of deputy prime minister. Did I turn my back on the Nationalist Party? Did I reject the party that gave me the honor of being deputy prime minister? No, I did not.”

Joyce, who did not respond to a request for comment, announced in a letter to branch members on Saturday that he will not run for the New England seat in the next election, due by mid-2028.

He did not endorse the political switch but said he was now free to consider his options, fueling speculation that he might run for the senate seat.

“My relationship with the Nationals leadership in Canberra has unfortunately become irreparably damaged, like the upset of some marriages,” Joyce said in the letter.

“The atmosphere in the party hall, where I sit at the farthest corner of the coalition, means that I have been seen and have now become a discordant note. This is not who I want to be.”

My relationship with the leaders of the Nationals has, unfortunately, become irreparably damaged, like the sorrow of some marriages.

Barnaby Joyce

Like the Liberals, the National Party is considering their stance on Australia’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Joyce claimed the policy would harm the people of his electorate due to the expansion of wind and solar farms and make his future in the National Party untenable.

“Our position on continuing to support Net Zero due to the huge divide and harm to my constituents… makes it untenable to continue under this policy in the National Party Room in Canberra.”

Joyce also highlighted a rule enforced by Nationals leader David Littleproud: Hiding Joyce during the election campaigneffectively preventing him from making political trips outside his constituents and further alienating him within the party.

McCormack said he welcomed Joyce into his electorate to campaign against wind farms during the election.

Joyce concluded his letter by stating that he was free to consider all options for his future and apologized to his constituents for his situation.

“I hope members understand my unfortunate situation and the obvious action I must take after some consideration,” he said.

“I am so sorry for the pain this may have caused and my deepest love goes out to you all.”

Joyce’s move comes after Steve Coxhead, a senior NSW Nationals official in Joyce’s New England constituency, quit as Tamworth branch president last week to join One Nation, listing climate policies and environmental restrictions on farmers as key concerns.

Coxhead told AFR On Saturday it was reported that 12 members of the National Tamworth branch had defected to One Nation.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price left the National Party in May and switched to the Liberals to stem the tide of her becoming the party’s deputy leader.

National federal chairman Kay Hull said she was sorry to see Joyce leave the party but respected the way he informed his voters and did not believe Joyce would represent another political party.

“I’m sorry to see anyone on our team resign… but there comes a time when you’ve done the best you can and decide it’s time for someone else to be removed, not just in your own interests but in the best interests of the party. I truly believe Barnaby feels that way too.”

“I would be extraordinarily surprised if Barnaby went into another political future with another party,” Hull said.

Joyce was first elected National leader in 2016 after Warren Truss left office. Joyce resigned in 2018 after it was revealed he had an affair and was expecting a child with his former communications worker and now-wife Vikki Campion. Joyce once again led the party after sacking Michael McCormack in 2021. Joyce lost the leadership to Littleproud in May 2022.