‘This is the ejector seat’: Joyce lashes out as he resigns from Nationals, clears way for One Nation move

Barnaby Joyce has formally resigned from the Nationals, ending his 20-year parliamentary career with the party he twice led as he confirmed he was “strongly considering” running for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation as a Senate candidate.

In a move that sparked Nationals allies to accuse him of “betrayal”, Joyce announced the decision in a short statement to the House of Representatives just before the final question time of the year, insisting it was clear his party didn’t want him any more. He said he would sit as an independent until the next election and admitted he was keen to gain relevance in a new role.

Joyce said neither Nationals leader David Littleproud nor deputy leader Kevin Hogan, neither of whom is close to Joyce, tried to keep him in the tent.

“After 30 years with the National Party, I am resigning from the party … I apologise for all the hurt that that will cause other people. I really do, but it’s not the most important thing,” Joyce said in his statement in the House.

“What is really important is that we understand those dealing with the cost-of-living crisis that we go into battle them.”

He concluded his statement by saying he wanted to “continue on that fight” but in a “better position than the ejection chair of the backbench of the Coalition in opposition”.

Another former Nationals leader, Michael McCormack, sat a few seats away from Joyce, shaking his head as he stared at the ground during the speech.

Twice serving as deputy prime minister, Joyce’s decision to leave the Nationals ends more than a month of speculation about his future, after this masthead first reported that he was speaking to One Nation leader Hanson about defecting early last month.

Asked about One Nation surging in the polls at a press conference shortly after his resignation, Joyce said there were new winds behind populist movements such as those spearheaded by Donald Trump, Nigel Farage in the UK and Marine Le Pen in France, declaring the fragmentation of media was creating opportunities for new movements.

He described his decision to leave the Nationals as the end of a relationship. His seat assigned by the party’s leadership – the nearest one to the crossbench where independents sit – was the “ejection chair”, Joyce said.

“It’s just quite obvious – when [the Nationals] talk about generational change, that’s code for ‘get out of here’,” he said.

While he did not confirm his next move, Joyce said he was keen to re-enter the Senate, where he started his political career. While Joyce said he was seriously considering the offer from Hanson of the number one position on One Nation’s NSW Senate ticket, he said he might quit politics entirely and move into the private sector.

“I’m ... weighing up all opportunities,” he said.

Joyce also said Peter Dutton twice asked him to resign last term, after he made headlines when filmed lying on his back on a Canberra street swearing into a mobile phone.

The move led to swift condemnation from Nationals figures including former senator John ‘Wacka’ Williams, a friend of Joyce for decades, who said the maverick would be remembered for his “betrayal”.

Nationals MP Darren Chester castigated Joyce, saying he had made up excuses to quit because he could not stand the fact that Littleproud controlled the leadership of the Nationals.

“I don’t think the National Party could have been more accommodating to Barnaby Joyce over many, many years and several trials and tribulations,” Chester said, referring to Joyce’s scandals.

“We’ve been repaid today by him leaving the party.”

Joyce told reporters: “I think that it’d be really hard for the Coalition to win the next election. I hope they do, but I think it’s going to be really difficult from where they are. And therefore, in the House, especially if you’re on the outer, you’re not relevant, you’re just a discordant voice.”

“I think in the Senate, you have got more capacity in the committee system, and also the numbers I reckon in the Senate will be tighter after the election.”

Littleproud released a statement saying Joyce’s decision was “disappointing”.

“It breaks the contract he made with the people of New England at the 2025 federal election,” Littleproud said, noting the volunteers who worked for his re-election would be let down.

“The Nationals supported Barnaby through the tough times, including during his darkest moments.”

Senator Matt Canavan said the fact Joyce had not signed up to One Nation meant he had “not given up hope that we can convince him to return,” the day after the senator vowed to fight his old boss and ally as a political enemy if Joyce defected.

McCormack said on Sky News that the decision “cannot end well for Barnaby”, that he was “absolutely gutted” and it was “obvious” Joyce was heading to One Nation.

Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie said on the ABC: “Everyone is salivating at the idea of Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson travelling around the countryside but, you know, Barnaby is not a racist.”

Hanson, who has made no secret of her hopes that Joyce would join her party and one day lead it, told Sky on Tuesday that she thought she “wooed him and dined him beautifully”.

“Let’s keep our fingers crossed. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I hope the steak and the dinner and the mulberry pie did it. He’s a good mate. I love him,” she said.

Joyce was first elected to federal parliament as a Nationals senator for Queensland at the 2004 election, taking his seat in the upper house in July 2005. He moved to the House of Representatives in 2013, winning the seat of New England in northern NSW. He was briefly ruled ineligible to serve in parliament during the citizenship crisis in 2017, but regained the seat at a byelection later that year.

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