Joyce pressure mounts

Just seven Nationals prepared to back deputy PM

JUST a third of the Nationals party room is willing to publicly back Barnaby Joyce as pressure for him to resign the leadership continues to grow.

Several of the embattled Deputy Prime Minister’s colleagues pointedly declined to endorse Mr Joyce when contacted, with leadership rival Michael McCormack repeatedly refusing to rule out a move on the top job.

Seven MPs openly backed Mr Joyce the day after a devastating Newspoll showed two- thirds of voters wanted him to resign as Nationals leader, while a significant number are taking the week to consider his future.

Former Nationals leader John Anderson said Nationals MPs needed to “reassure” the Liberal Party they could work through the leadership crisis.

“The National Party is responsible for ensuring the Coalition can govern well, otherwise it will spiral out of control,” he said.

NSW Nationals MP Mark Coulton, when asked whether he backed Mr Joyce as the party leader, said he had no comment.

Victorian MP Andrew Broad also declined to endorse Mr Joyce, and said: “Discussions of leadership always take place in the Nationals party room.”

There are at least four other Nationals MP who are considering their position on Mr Joyce’s leadership, adding to about six who are already locked in against him.

Mr Joyce’s grip on the leadership began to slide after explosive revelations of an office affair with his former media adviser Vikki Campion – who is now expecting his child – and a falling out with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over the scandal.

Mr McCormack, the Veterans’ Affairs Minister, yesterday refused to back his boss in an awkward Sky News interview during which he said “there was no challenge that the moment”.

“Barnaby Joyce at the moment has the support of the National Party – matters,” he said.

However, other senior Nationals, including Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, Resources Minister Matt Canavan and deputy leader Bridget McKenzie, remain solid supporters of Mr Joyce.

“There is no stronger advocate for regional Australia than Barnaby Joyce, I support our leader,” Ms McKenzie said.

And a spokeswoman for outspoken Nationals MP George Christensen, who threat- that’s what ened to quit the Coalition then lied about it before apologising, said, “George has 100 per cent support for Barnaby Joyce as leader of the National Party.”

Nationals chief whip Michelle Landry said: “I continue to support the Deputy Prime Minister in his current position. The poll results today are perhaps not surprising. However, major decisions around leadership should not be decided by opinion polls.”

NSW Nationals senator John Williams said he wanted to “let the water settle and we get along with our job”.