Tired of being out of the political spotlight, Barnaby Joyce has declared he won’t re-contest his New England seat at the next election, supposedly due to dissatisfaction with his party’s leadership, but he hasn’t yet quit the Nationals, or responded definitively to speculation that he’s joining Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
The next federal election isn’t expected until 2028, which gives Barnaby plenty of time to cause chaos, continuing to be paid very well to do a job which he apparently no longer has much interest in, and without the moderating influence of his own leader David Littleproud or Coalition leader Sussan Ley.
Earlier this year Barnaby Joyce was considered so toxic to the LNP’s prospects that he was forbidden to campaign outside his own electorate.
Mysteriously, the good people of New England returned this ‘character’ to office with a 66 per cent vote after preferences, notwithstanding red-faced rants in Question Time about carp, an extremely messy personal life and that time he fell over a planter box in Braddon and was captured drunkenly swearing on the phone while lying on the street – or his alleged involvement in various rorts relating to water and gas.
Mr Joyce said he believes that making this latest public announcement makes him ‘free to now consider all options as to what I do next’, regardless of the party machine or policy platform that elected him.
Who will be next in the conga line of noisy malcontents? Matt Canavan? Kevin Hogan?
In his statement to branch members, Joyce said, ‘My relationship with the leadership of the Nationals in Canberra has unfortunately, like a sadness in some marriages, irreparably broken down.’
Too nutty for the Nats?
The man with the big hat has always had a problem with science, and renewables, criticising wind energy even as he opened the $400 million White Rock wind farm in his own electorate.
In his latest statement, he said ‘Our position in continuing to support net zero with the massive schism and hurt to my electorate, to small businesses, to the environment, to the poor, to the defence of Australia and creating hate between lifelong friends in my community makes continuing in the Nationals’ Party Room in Canberra under this policy untenable.’
He forgot to mention his good mate Gina Rinehart in that laundry list, but you get the idea.
Back in 2005, when Barnaby Joyce decided bush accountancy was a waste of his talents, he began his political life in the Senate, and that’s probably where he will return if he makes good on his threat.
Pauline Hanson seems likely to be the beneficiary of Barnaby’s dissatisfaction with the Nationals, if she can manage to restrain his ego more successfully than previous attempted recruits such as Mark Latham and Clive Palmer. There is even some speculation that Joyce has been offered a leadership position.
With new polls suggesting One Nation is now outpolling the Greens federally, and benefiting from the ongoing self destruction of the LNP, it’s understandable that politicians with well-honed survival instincts are looking in that direction as their old ship sinks.
Perhaps we’re headed for Nigel Farage territory, where the racist rump becomes the opposition, and threatens to become the government? Anything is possible with the man Tony Abbott once described as ‘Australia’s best retail politician’ in the ranks.
Peace in our time?
Speaking of racist rumps, US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza so far hasn’t amounted to much more than a swap of hostages for prisoners, with Israel still killing civilians and Hamas still murdering their opponents, even as the world remains hopeful that something lasting and good might come from America’s politically delayed intervention.
At the same time, a new war is brewing against Venezuela, along with attacks from MAGA on more than half of their fellow Americans, and upon the rule of law itself. Over eight million people are estimated to have attended No Kings rallies on the weekend, a global record.
Into this maelstrom has just stepped Anthony Albanese, who remains convinced that Australia’s interests are best served by keeping us tightly tethered to this insane, dying elephant of a country. He offered the tyrant in the Oval Office our rare earth minerals and a chance to humiliate Kevin Rudd in exchange for Australia’s ongoing ‘protection’.
Back in Canberra, loyal lieutenant and Environment Minister Murray Watt is busy carving out a new set of environment laws with the blessing of fossil fuel lobbyists and their friends in the Coalition – anything to avoid talking to the Greens, teals or other independents.
It seems that a climate trigger of any kind is firmly off the minister’s agenda, which means Watt can keep approving new coal and gas developments as fast as they hit his desk, regardless of what the science says.
Perhaps Barnaby Joyce should join Labor?
Originally from Canberra, David Lowe is an award-winning filmmaker, writer and photographer with particular interests in the environment and politics. He’s known for his campaigning work with Cloudcatcher Media.
You can find more of his writing at Patreon and Gumroad.
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