Barnaby Joyce said the global political landscape was changing, pointing to populist right-wing movements gaining momentum around the world.
Barnaby Joyce in the House of Representatives earlier today. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“Have a look at the polling. Everything’s changing,” he told reporters following his resignation from the Nationals.
“I mean, have a look what’s happening in England. Have a look what’s happening in France, whether it’s [Nigel] Farage, whether it’s [Marine] Le Pen, whether it’s [Giorgia] Meloni, whether it’s unfortunately, AFD [in Germany], which I think is very insidious. Whether it’s the MAGA movement within the Republican Party… the world’s changing, and I think Australia’s actually last to it.”
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Joyce said he did not think the Coalition could win the next election, and those focusing on winning back teal seats were pursuing the wrong strategy.
“One of the problems I think there has been in the Coalition is all the time we said, ‘we’ve got to win back teal seats’,” he said. “And what was happening, people, especially regionally, they say, ‘if that’s what you want to focus on, we’re gone’.”
“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 sort of on the outer, you’re not relevant, you’re just a discordant voice at the best. We’ve got somewhere with net zero, but I think that’ll be about it.”