Barnaby Joyce is Australian government’s new deputy leader after ousting Michael McCormack

Nationals member for New England Barnaby Joyce and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, May 24, 2021. Photo: AAP/Mick Tsikas

21 June 2021 4:32pm

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Barnaby Joyce ousted Michael McCormack and is back in his old job of Nationals Leader, a role that automatically makes him deputy prime minister.

Mr Joyce’s return holds implications for Prime Minister Scott Morrison who will need to work with a less malleable National Party leader. Mr Joyce is a hardliner when it comes to issues such as climate change and coal and it is expected that he will seek to differentiate the Nationals from the LIberals. There had been constant criticism among Nationals that McCormack had not stood up to Mr Morrison as firmly as he could have.

Mr Morrison released a statement following the leadership change. “The Liberal-National Coalition has been a successful and enduring partnership for seven decades. It will continue to be a strong partnership, one based on shared values and a shared passion for building an even stronger Australia,” he wrote, adding that much had been achieved, especially for rural Australia.

“I welcome Barnaby Joyce to the role of leader of the Nationals and soon to be deputy prime minister and I look forward to working closely together to ensure Australia continues its recovery from COVID-19 and the recession it caused. Our focus remains on two outcomes – protecting lives and protecting livelihoods – as we continue to bolster our vaccine rollout and build on the economic recovery that has led to the creation of almost 1m jobs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Barnaby and I have a shared passion for ensuring our regions and rural communities thrive.”

David Littleproud continues to be the deputy Nationals leaders, and it is still unknown what changes Mr Joyce will make to his party’s ministerial line-up.

It is likely that Senate leader Bridget McKenzie will be brought back after being forced out of cabinet at the Prime Minister’s insistence.

Mr Joyce had previously served in the role of deputy Prime Minister from February 2016 through to February 2018 when he was forced to resign following the scandal of his extra-marital affair with staffer Vikki Campion as well as a claim of sexual harassment.

In 2017 he had been forced to fight for his seat in New England after he was disqualified by a High Court ruling concerning his citizenship status – he had been a dual New Zealand citizen, the court found.

Last February, Mr Joyce had failed to overthrow McCormick.