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Former National Party leader Michael McCormack has said Barnaby Joyce “will not be joining One Nation any time soon” and that he has a responsibility as National MP to serve out the remainder of this parliamentary term.
“Barnaby is a member of the National Party. He was elected as a member of the National Party and he owes it to the people of the National Party, and indeed his voters, to continue to serve in the National Party until this parliamentary term ends,” McCormack told Nine’s. Today this morning.
“I think that’s what you’ve got to do when people are ready to distribute for you and when they’re ready to wear your yellow T-shirt that says ‘I’m rooting for Barnaby’ on the back. So he needs to continue to serve and sit with the Nationals,” McCormack said.
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Joyce told this imprint yesterday that he would consider his political future over the summer but would not return to the Nationals party room or join One Nation this year.
The New England MP did not attend the National party room meeting at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday. “I’ve always believed that life is determined by what comes and it was a shame he didn’t come to the party room meeting yesterday,” McCormack said this morning.
“It should have been there. I mean, after all, it should have been there, but it wasn’t.”
This imprint revealed nearly two weeks ago that Joyce was in advanced talks with Senator Pauline Hanson about defecting to One Nation.
Such a move would have significant consequences for the Nationals, who would lose one of their top retail politicians, a former two-time frontrunner and powerful fundraiser.
Joyce suggested this current parliamentary term would be his last representing the New England seat, but left the door open to a return to the Senate.
