Barnaby Joyce has sensationally quit the National Party after more than 30 years, delivering a rambling 90-second speech that follows weeks of speculation about his political future.
‘This is about as far away as you can get from the dispatch box,’ Joyce began, standing in the chamber just moments before Question Time.
‘If you send it here, they want you out there. Now, in the past, I’ve been asked twice by Peter Dutton, and I suppose in the last change, when they talk about generational change, it’s pretty clear what people want.’
Joyce revealed his growing frustration with party leadership, saying he had been left in the dark for weeks.
‘One of the biggest things I’ve noticed… after five weeks… I’ve had no communication that with the leader of the Nationals. And that’s disappointing,’ he said.
‘So after 30 years with the National Party, I resign.’
Joyce launched into a fiery list of priorities he believes are being ignored.
‘What is really important is that we understand what is dealing with the cost-of-living crisis,’ he said.
Barnaby Joyce (pictured) announced his resignation from The Nationals on Thursday
He also slammed the state of rural healthcare.
‘What is really important is we have rural hospitals without doctors,’ Joyce said.
‘And what I have to do, if I’m going to continue that fight, is get myself into a better position than the ejection chair in the backbench of the coalition in opposition.’
The decision follows a steak dinner Joyce shared with Hanson in her Canberra office on Monday, fuelling rumours that the outspoken MP was being courted by One Nation.
Joyce’s defection was widely anticipated, with independent Teal MPs Sophie Scamps and Monique Ryan cheekily tapping their cross bench chairs in his direction before his speech, where Joyce will now sit.
Daily Mail understands that Hanson has been working behind the scenes for months to woo Joyce, seeing him as a high-profile recruit who could bolster the party’s credibility and broaden its appeal beyond its traditional base.
Joyce had previously announced he would not stand as a Nationals candidate for his seat of New England, leaving open a possible run for the Senate for One Nation.
The timing of Joyce’s defection comes as One Nation enjoys a surge in support, particularly in regional areas where disillusionment with the major parties is deepening, as the Liberal Party vote reaches an all time low.
Barnaby Joyce (left) dined with Pauline Hanson (right) on Monday night in Canberra
Recent polling shows the party’s vote climbing steadily, positioning it as a potential kingmaker in the Senate and a disruptive force in the lower house, with some polls showing the party ahead of the Greens, the most popular non-major party.
