After weeks of speculation, Barnaby Joyce has formally resigned from the National Party, ending a political partnership spanning 30 years.
Standing outside Parliament on Nov. 27, Joyce said he had reached the point where he could no longer remain in the fracturing relationship.
“You just got to a point where you either live in sort of bitter recrimination and continue on with it. Well, you get out of it. And I think that’s what I’m doing today,” he told reporters.
Joyce, a former deputy prime minister and a figurehead, was moved to the backbench under current leader David Littleproud. He said the choice to walk away came after years of trying to mend internal rifts.
“It’s not as if I fell over at the first hurdle. I’ve been, you know, I’ve been trying to work way through this for a long period of time, say, couple years,” he said.
Joyce who has confirmed that he would not re-contest his seat of New England at the next election, and is expected to run for the Senate potentially.
Considering One Nation
Joyce stopped short of confirming his next political step but acknowledged ongoing speculation that he was in advanced talks with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
“I’m certainly considering it ... strongly.”
He rejected suggestions that joining a minor party would be unusual for someone who once held one of the highest offices in the country.
“The world’s changing,” he said, in a veiled reference to overseas democracies where new political entities—in the mould of Make America Great Again—have surged in popularity.
Joyce also offered a grim assessment of the Coalition’s electoral prospects.
“I hope they do, but I think it'll be really difficult from where they are,” he said.
Joyce has not attended National Party room meetings in recent weeks. He said his absence was deliberate, arguing it was respectful to avoid confidential conversations about himself.
“I don’t think it’s fair for them or it’s not fair for me because obviously you become privy to private conversations. They might want to have a private conversation about me.”
