Barnaby Joyce’s pro-mining stance is at odds with the more progressive quarters of the party, and puts the Nationals in a difficult position on global carbon tariffs.
University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Associate Professor Caroline Fisher discuss the week in politics.
Darren Chester says he can’t explain why Barnaby Joyce sacked him because the Deputy Prime Minister was “incoherent” when he rang on Sunday to tell him he was being relegated from cabinet to the backbench.
It is not just Joyce’s past behaviour that is a problem - it is the chronic under-representation of women in parliament. And this may come back to bite the Coalition.
The Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie has been restored to cabinet and Darren Chester has been dropped to the backbench in a reshuffle of blatant reward and punishment following Barnaby Joyce’s elevation.
Morrison and Joyce have negotiated the terms of their partnership. In the open, the restored leader let the Nationals run riot, in a way we haven’t seen for a long time, writes Michelle Grattan
One central reason why the Nationals have installed Barnaby Joyce, with all the risks and baggage he carries, is because they want someone who’ll stand up to Scott Morrison, writes Michelle Grattan
The Nationals are in fresh chaos, with Michael McCormack’s leadership under intense pressure, as the parliament begins its last week before the winter recess.