Senator Bridget McKenzie has announced she’ll out her hand up to be the next leader of the National Party following the resignation of David Littleproud. Yesterday colleague Matt Canavan announced he would also contest the leadership.
“We face enormous challenges as a country and the Nationals have a critical role in protecting and growing our nation.” Senator McKenzie said announcing herself as a candidate.
The Victorian senator, who joined the parliament in 2011 said she’d had a “wave of support” overnight.
“The Nationals have long been the strong voice of regional Australians and if successful I commit to working every day, using all my experience, energy and drive to secure the future of our great country.” she said.
Yesterday leader David Liuttleproud announced he was quitting his leadership role citing exhaustion. The Queensland MP has announced he’ll be remaining in parliament.
Senator Matt Canavan, who also hails from Queensland, praised Littleproud’s leadership and announced he’d be asking for is colleagues votes to make him the new leader.
‘He led the charge to defeat the divisive Voice to Parliament and put us in a winning position just a year ago,’ he said.
‘He also helped shift the LNP’s stance on net zero to a more common-sense energy policy,’ Canavan said of the outgoing leader. Canavan previously unsuccessfully challenged Littleproud for the leadership position.
The party will meet first thing on Wednesday morning to choose their new leader and there has been speculation that other MPs might also put there hands up. Kevin Hogan challenged Littleproud for the leadership earlier this year.
Former Nationals MPs have also speculated if exhaustion is the true reason for Littleproud’s resignation. Former Nationals member George Christensen posted on social media that Littleproud had been forced to resign under threat of another MP defecting from the party if he remained in charge.
During Littleproud’s tenure three Nationals MPs have quit the party. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price defected to the Liberals, former leader Barnaby Joyce quit the party and then joined One Nation, while Andrew Gee quit the party in late 2022 after Littleproud announced opposition to the Voice to Parliament.
Speaking to Sky News on Tuesday night former leader Barnaby Joyce said the explanation for Littleproud’s resignation did not “stack up”.
“Why did you do an announcement on a Tuesday during the MPI, which is a Matter of Public Importance, that the National Party was speaking on?”
“Why did you go outside and do a press conference without any of your party around you?” he said.
“Why didn’t you wait for Friday and say, ‘Look, I’ve got a serious statement to make’.”
Joyce said the timing of the announcement suggested there might be other motivations.
“Sorry, I don’t buy this, there’s something on here, and within the course of time, I’m sure we’ll find out what it is,” he said.
