The man who once described himself as not “your typical National Party senator” is now the party’s leader.
“I am not a farmer, and I am not a small businessman,” he said after he was elected to parliament in 2013.
“I am an economist who has spent most of his time working for the Productivity Commission.”
New Nationals leader vows to ‘fight back’ for Australians
He will be an unusual party chief, leading the party from the Senate.
“It’s not been our tradition, but it’s certainly not unprecedented for a leader to come from the Senate,” he said after his ascension on Wednesday.
Senator Canavan has repeatedly maintained his opposition to interventions or tax increases that would negatively impact extractive industries and household bottom lines.
At times, his strong stances on topics put him at odds with his colleagues in the Coalition.
David Littleproud resigned from the leadership a day before Matt Canavan took the reins. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
After being voted by his peers to lead the party, he has pointed to the need to protect the Australian way of life by leveraging local resources and skills.
“We have the resources, we have the people, we have the land,” he said, standing in the Nationals party room on Wednesday.
“We’ve got everything we need here in this country.”
Success follows failed leadership bid
It is the second time in the space of 12 months that Senator Canavan has faced off against David Littleproud for the leadership of the Nationals.
In May last year, Mr Littleproud, who announced his resignation from the role on Tuesday, managed to fend off a challenge from the Queenslander.
At that time, the senator was campaigning to scrap the party’s support for emissions commitments.
The new Nationals leader has been a strong defender of regional industry and the fossil fuel sectors. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Senator Canavan has been the former deputy leader of the Nationals in the Senate and has long been outspoken in his opposition to a 2050 net zero target.
“People are losing their standard of living,” he said on Wednesday.
“I will now not rest. I will fight for our nation to get back, to use our resources.”
Senator Canavan has previously said it was clear the lived reality of net zero would not work for the Australian people.
The Nationals formally abandoned the commitment to reach net zero in November, with the Liberal Party following weeks later.
Canavan backs ‘lifesaver’ power stations
Senator Canavan has also been vocal in his support for the construction of new coal-fired power plants and the retention of existing ones.
“A modern coal-fired power station can be a lifesaver,” he said last year.
“Australian coal has helped billions emerge from poverty.”
Matt Canavan has been a consistent supporter of the Australian coal sector. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
He told the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing in September that focusing on emission reduction should not be a priority.
“Our primary objective of our energy policy should be to reduce power prices for Australians, not reduce emissions,” he said.
Pathway paved by Barnaby Joyce
The conservative from Queensland was elected in 2013 after working as chief of staff for Barnaby Joyce during the 2010 election.
He became the minister for resources and northern Australia in 2016 and also served as the Nationals whip in the Senate.
Former leader Barnaby Joyce shared a close relationship with Matt Canavan. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Before moving into politics, the senator worked for the Productivity Commission and as an executive at KPMG.
In his second term in parliament, he was embroiled in the citizenship saga and was forced to quit cabinet after discovering what he thought was Italian citizenship.
Eventually, the High Court found his citizenship was “potential” only and he was spared from being disqualified as a parliamentarian.
Senator Canavan has unashamedly supported issues he sees as impacting regional communities and has butted heads with scientists more than once in his career.
Matt Canavan with his new leadership team, Bridget McKenzie and Darren Chester. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
On climate change, he has argued there is “no credible evidence that droughts or floods are getting worse in this country”.
The comments prompted a fact check from experts, including a vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
“We have a good scientific basis to actually say that extreme events are increasing as a function of human activity,” Emeritus Professor Mark Howden said in response to the comments.
“The relationship between accumulated greenhouse gas emissions and temperature is very well established; the relationship between temperature increase and extreme events is well established.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Canavan was staunchly opposed to vaccine mandates, arguing for them to be scrapped as late as mid-2022.
“The mandates were never justified, but they are especially not now, given that we have the real evidence that they do not stop transmission,” he argued at the time.
He has also been outspoken about his conservative social views, including abortion.
In 2022, he co-sponsored a private member’s bill that would have required health workers to give medical care to babies born alive as a result of a pregnancy termination.
At the time, medical groups criticised the move as unnecessary and warned it could be emotionally manipulative.
Senator Canavan said on Wednesday that his bill “would not have changed anything to do with abortion”.
“All it would have done is, if a baby’s born alive, it would provide them care,” he said.
Vow to ‘fight back for Australians’
Senator Canavan has indicated he will use his leadership to improve the lives of Australians.
“People are losing their standard of living. They’re losing their confidence,” he said on Wednesday.
“We’re losing our relaxed and larrikin nature, and we have to fight back for Australians.
“Everything I do in the parliament, here in the party room, out fighting on the ground, will be to get a better standard of living for the Australian people.”