Barnaby Joyce’s defection to One Nation is complete with the former Nationals leader announcing this morning he’ll represent Pauline Hanson’s party in the lower house for the remainder of the current term.
Joyce said he will then run for a spot in a New South Wales senate spot at the next election under the One Nation banner.
Joyce’s move from to Team Orange has been a drawn out process.
He first announced he’d not be running for the Nationals at the next election in his long held seat of New England. He voiced disagreement with the party’s stance on Net Zero, and cited a strained relationship with current leader David Littleproud. Joyce then chose to remain in the party, but not sit in the party room.
Later he announced he was quitting the party all together, all the while being courted by Hanson who made him a special steak dinner on a sandwich press in her office. Today the speculation on the question of whether Joyce would take up Hanson’s offer came to its conclusion with the One Nation leader travelling to Joyce’s NSW electorate for the announcement.
“I have always been very straightforward about asking Mr Joyce to join our team, and on making it clear this was always his decision,” Senator Hanson said.
“I am pleased he’s chosen One Nation, and I welcome his experience, his advice and his determination to get a fair go for farmers and regional Australia. Mr Joyce strengthens One Nation’s position in Parliament just as many Australians are strengthening our position in the polls.”
In a statement Joyce laid out the reasons for this change in political direction.
“I am firmly of the view which I have considered over a long period of time that the best choice before me is to stand for One Nation as a Senator for NSW. I will let the voters be the ultimate arbiter of that decision.” he said.
While Joyce’s goal at the next election is to make a move back to the senate, in the meantime he’ll give the party their first lower house seat in decades.
Hanson held the seat of Blair in Queensland between 1996 and 1998. When she returned to the federal parliament for a second stint she moved to the Upper House.
Joyce began his political career in the senate
Joyce first entered the federal parliament in 2004 as a senator for Queensland. At the 2010 election he was re-elected under the amalgamated Liberal National Party banner. As a senator Joyce was known as a maverick who often crossed the floor to vote against government legislation he disagreed with.
When the coalition moved to the Opposition benches after the 2007 election Joyce held a variety of shadow minister positions including Finance Minister and Regional Development, Infrastructure and Water.
At the 2013 election he moved to the Lower House to represent the New South Wales of New England. He served as Minister for Agriculture, when PM Tony Abbott was rolled by Malcolm Turnbull he picked up the extra portfolio of Water Resources. In 2016 he became leader of the Nationals following the retirement of Warren Truss, a position which also made him Deputy Prime Minister.
He was forced to resign from parliament the following year when it was discovered he unknowingly held New Zealand citizenship. He returned to parliament in 2017 following a by-election.
He resigned as leader of the Nationals in 2018 after accusations of sexual harassment. Joyce categorically denied the allegations and the resulting party investigation was unable to make a determination and the associated report was not made public.
In 2021 he served as party leader for a second time when he challenged Michael McCormack. He remained leader until after the 2022 election where he was replaced by current leader David Littleproud. After the 2025 election he was not awarded a shadow minister portfolio and was sent to the backbench.
During his time in parliament Joyce has been at the centre of many controversies and provocative debates.
He’s called for a national debate on the death penalty, although he is personally opposed to it, has argued that schools should be able to ban transgender students, and was a vocal opponent of marriage equality. Earlier this year he called for Australia to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump and declare they are only two genders.
Joyce has presented himself as a family values candidate but in 2017 he announced he had separated from his wife, not long after it was revealed he was expecting a child with his former communication staffer Vikki Campion. The couple had a second child in 2019 and wed in 2023.
