Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester will challenge Barnaby Joyce for party leadership at a meeting on Monday.
Key points:
- Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester admits he is unlikely to win party leadership in a meeting on Monday
- Nationals took all their seats in the election, but Chester says “extreme” comments from some of his colleagues contributed to the loss of the coalition.
- The deputy leader of the Nationals, David Littleproud, has not yet stated whether he will also seek the position
Chester acknowledged that he was unlikely to succeed, but said it was “time for a change” within the party following the result of last weekend’s federal election.
“I think it’s important that we listen to the message we received over the weekend for the Australian people,” Chester said.
“I think they want us to be more moderate and more respectful in this country’s public debates.”
He said the party also needed to connect better with younger voters and women.
Nationals occupied all their seats across the country, but Chester said the party had to accept some responsibility for losing the coalition election.
“I have no doubt that some of the comments of a few colleagues … who were quite extreme in their views, had an impact on the Liberal Party candidates in those more moderate parts of urban areas.” he said.
“It’s not a big deal for nationals to be in opposition, because then we can’t be in the room where big decisions are made and really influence the results of regional Australians.”
Barnaby Joyce returned to lead the Nationals last year. (ABC Upper Hunter: Bridget Murphy)
Party room to meet on Monday
The Nationals will meet on Monday in Canberra where the leadership positions will move, as happens after each election.
Mallee MP Anne Webster has already stated her plans to oppose deputy leadership.
Chester was the first national to publicly support same-sex marriage and was a minister in the former coalition government, but was twice ousted by Barnaby Joyce.
He said he “would not invest too much money” in himself, as the Nationals have not had any Victorian leaders since Sir John “Black Jack” McEwen 50 years ago.
Election news:
He said the party had several viable leadership options, including current MP David Littleproud and former leader Michael McCormack.
Littleproud has yet to state whether he would contest the leadership, although some of his colleagues have urged him to do so.
“I think we’ll have a new National Party team on Monday,” Chester said.
“I think it ‘s time to change.
“It will only be a matter of whether classmates see me as part of that or where they are going for someone else.”
Electoral basics:
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Posted 19 hours, 19 hours ago, Friday, May 27, 2022 at 12:57 AM, updated 12 hours ago, 12 hours ago, Friday, May 27, 2022 at 8:51 AM