Littleproud defends record, McCormack says leader will survive challenge
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More news: Nationals leader David Littleproud says he celebrates “freedom within” his party, as his predecessor Michael McCormack insists Littleproud has the numbers to defeat a challenge.
In a statement an hour after Nationals MP Colin Boyce confirmed he will challenge Littleproud for the leadership on Monday, the incumbent said he stood by his record.
“I have always respected the partyroom’s decisions and direction, that includes the right to voice different opinions,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Nationals leader Michael McCormack, who has been a critic of Littleproud, played down the prospect of Boyce’s challenge succeeding.
“David is safe with the numbers. I don’t know that Colin earnestly believes he will win a ballot, but he may well do that,” McCormack told The Australian.
But McCormack urged the Nationals to work quickly towards reuniting the Coalition, warning: “We need to stop talking about ourselves, we need to get back with the Liberal Party and end this nonsense”.
What they said: “We celebrate that freedom within the Nationals,” Littleproud’s statement read.
“I stand by my record as leader of the Nationals and what our partyroom has achieved, through important policy work and standing up for regional, rural and remote Australia.”
Nationals MP to challenge David Littleproud, warns of One Nation 'onslaught'
The news: Nationals MP Colin Boyce will challenge David Littleproud for the party leadership and has left the door open to defecting to One Nation if his bid fails.
The context: Boyce announced he will challenge Littleproud on Monday, less than a week after the Coalition’s second split in nine months, warning the party faces an “onslaught” from an ascendent One Nation.
Speaking to Sky News, Boyce criticised Littleproud’s handling of the split, saying he had “about everybody you can possibly upset” and warning the Nationals was heading for a “political cliff” if they did not reunify the Coalition before the next election.
Multiple Liberal sources have told Capital Brief that that appears unlikely under Littleproud’s leadership.
“If they go it alone for the next election, they won’t have any resources. They won’t have any travel entitlements,” Boyce said.
“Money will be extremely difficult to raise. They will not have all of those devoted staff that they’ve had for years, and things will be extremely difficult.”
Speculation has swirled that Boyce will follow former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce in defecting to One Nation, though the challenger insisted remaining in his current party was his “first priority”.
While stressing winning a lower house seat for a minor party was “extremely difficult”, Boyce did not rule out switching if his leadership tilt failed.
“That remains to be seen,” he said, after declaring his “great respect” for One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
The intervention came after Littleproud again blamed last week’s Coalition breakup on Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who he accused of violating conventions over her hate speech deal with Labor.
“We took the principled position, we gave a way out, it wasn’t accepted,” Littleproud told Sky News.
“But we’re more than happy if there’s a way to reinstate those three and to get the Coalition back to what it was before we left.”
Influential Nationals senator Matt Canavan said there “wasn’t a huge reason” to break up the Coalition.
“I’ve outlined why I thought we could have stayed together and how that could have happened,” Canavan told The Australian.
What they said: “The National Party now faces a right flank onslaught from One Nation. If they go it alone for the next election, they won’t have any resources,” Boyce told Sky News.
The sources: Colin Boyce Sky News interview, David Littleproud Sky News interview, The Australian
