Australia’s new deputy prime minister elected unopposed

February 11 20:03 2016

“My personal view always is I prefer the Australian people to be the holder of the Australian asset”, he said at the time, prompting political opponents to call him the “single greatest threat to Australian agriculture’s future”.

New South Wales Senator Fiona Nash was elected as deputy, from a crop of seven candidates.

“I informed my Nationals colleagues that I intend to retire from federal parliament at the next election”, Truss told the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Truss took the leadership in 2007 after the Howard Government lost power, a time Mr Truss said that “the media were saying we were finished”.

“Barnaby will have a different style and I think we will see a noticeable change in the style of leadership”, he said.

“I came from a small farming district and went to a very small state school, and I had the privilege now to become Deputy Prime Minister of our country…I want to thank the people of Australia for the opportunity that they have given me to serve in this regard”.

NSW National Party MPs Mark Coulton, Michael McCormack; David Gillespie and Luke Hartsuyker and Victorian MP Darren Chester; also challenged for the deputy-leadership during the hour-long meeting.

“It’s been a great honour for me to be leader of the party for something over eight years”, Mr Truss said.

Joyce was regarded as a maverick early in his political career, often voting against the wishes of his party on legislation in Parliament.

Mr Truss spoke fondly of his time in various ministerial roles during his 26 years in parliament, despite also not wanting the Agriculture portfolio.

“Our focus is clearly laser-like on making sure that the Australian people get a clear juxtaposition between an effective Coalition which we are and the unfortunate position that the Labor Party now finds themselves in which is basically looking for a cliff to jump off”.

“That’s the most important thing, not to look at it as though you’ve got three heads because you’ve declared you’ve got a problem”. “I hope not, because I think we do need amongst the leadership of our country, a breadth of experience and skills”.

The dual retirements will force an even larger cabinet reshuffle than Turnbull anticipated.

The coalition agreement would retain its basic points, he said, but it would have to be renegotiated between the new Nationals leader and Mr Turnbull.

Barnaby Joyce has not ruled out grabbing back the trade portfolio for the Nationals in an imminent reshuffle of the federal ministry.

“The assurance I’ve got is that with the numbers that we have that we are entitled to a fourth Cabinet position and I believe that we’ll be delivered a fourth cabinet position”, Mr Joyce told ABC News 24.

Paying tribute to Truss, Turnbull said: “He understands the importance of the National Party’s distinct identity, but also the reality that we are so much stronger when we are working closely together”.

National Party leader Warren Truss

Australia’s new deputy prime minister elected unopposed
 
 
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