Kevin Hogan tipped to beat Matt Canavan after David Littleproud quits
Updated ,first published
Populist right-winger Matt Canavan has been elected leader of the National Party in a major turning point for the troubled regional party, which is pitted against Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
Canavan had spent years rebelling against the Coalition’s net-zero emissions target and defending the use of fossil fuels. He has taken a more disciplined role since the opposition abandoned its net zero policy last year and has told colleagues for months that he is ready to lead the party.
Speaking at his first press conference as party leader on Wednesday morning, the senator laid out the battle lines with One Nation, labeling the minor party leader as divisive and ineffective and arguing that the National Party was a genuine grassroots movement fighting for all Australians.
“Pauline has been in politics for more than twice as long as I have been, and I find it difficult to point to one dam, one road, one hospital that Pauline has implemented in Australia,” he said.
Canavan said he took on this task because Australians were losing their living standards.
“They’re losing their confidence, we’re losing our easy-going, playful nature and we have to fight for Australians,” Canavan said.
“All we need to do to regenerate our great nation is have more Australia. We need more Australian farming, more Australian manufacturing, more Australian jobs. We need more Australians.”
Canavan won the party hall vote because he had to convince his colleagues that his outspoken, Christian right-wing brand of politics was suited to countering One Nation, which had sapped the regional party’s support in the regions by portraying the Coalition as docile and out of touch on immigration and energy issues.
Former deputy leader Kevin Hogan was seen as the safer choice and won support from much of Littleproud’s more moderate support base.
Canavan, a father of five from Queensland, had shown colleagues in recent months that he would fight and joust with Hanson, criticizing him for his remarks about Muslims, portraying the party as impotent and protest-oriented and questioning Joyce’s character when he left the Nationals.
Darren Chester was named Canavan’s deputy. Chester is one of the most moderate MPs in the National Party and will help ease Liberal concerns that Canavan is too right-wing to lead the tiny Coalition party.
Canavan, a staunch economic interventionist, had previously served as Joyce’s private secretary and the pair had been close allies for years. He will also have to overcome the hurdle of leading a major party through the Senate.
The vote, which was not announced by the citizens, was expected to be tight going into the meeting.
David Littleproud stunned almost all his colleagues when he resigned after Question Time on Tuesday.
Only Kevin Hogan, Littleproud’s staunch lieutenant and not previously seen as a candidate with the energy and drive to lead the party, was told in advance. Hogan was told of Littleproud’s decision early Tuesday.
One MP said the decision to notify Hogan early and hold the vote the morning after Littleproud’s call appeared designed to give Hogan the best chance of winning.
Canavan has been planning for years to run for Capricornia’s lower house seat if Michelle Landry retires as expected.
Paul Sakkal is the chief political correspondent. He has previously covered Victorian politics and won the Walkley and Quill awards. Reach him securely on Signal @paulsakkal.14Connect with: X or email.
Brittany Busch is the federal politics correspondent for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
