Barnaby Joyce has confirmed he’ll join One Nation, ending months of speculation about his political future.
The former Deputy Prime Minister will serve out his term as the Member for New England but won’t re-contest the seat at the next federal election. Instead, Joyce plans to run for the Senate under the One Nation banner.
Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell said the move reflects Joyce’s larger-than-life persona. “Barnaby really is bigger than Ben-Hur when it comes to his personality,” Layzell said.
“Sometimes in a team, the personality and ego is too big to be able to work within that team.
Layzell did however stress that he’d continue to work with Joyce on local issues, despite the New England MP jumping ship.
The Upper Hunter MP added the Nationals now face the challenge of finding a strong candidate for New England. “The challenge for the party as an organisation is to find someone of a calibre who really connects with the community,” he said.
“I do encourage anyone who feels like they can represent the community at a federal level… now’s the time to put your hand up.”
Nationals leader David Littleproud expressed disappointment with Joyce, describing One Nation as “a party of protest, not a party of government.” He said Joyce wanted to lead a party and that he had no personal issues with him.
Joyce’s decision has sparked mixed reactions among voters, with some pledging loyalty to him personally and others criticising the move.
