Barnaby Joyce is considering leaving the Nationals to join One Nation, a move that could significantly alter the political landscape. The former deputy prime minister has set himself a binary choice: confirm his exit from politics or defect to Pauline Hanson's party by the end of this week.
Joyce's decision follows a dinner with Hanson in her office on Monday night, just hours after she sparked widespread condemnation by renewing her burka-banning crusade. The stunt led to Hanson's censure and a seven-day ban from the Senate on Tuesday. Despite the backlash, Joyce's remaining supporters in the Nationals believe nothing can dissuade him from defecting.
A Joyce-led One Nation could be highly advantageous for the minor party, particularly in Queensland, where it sees swathes of the state as ripe for the picking. Joyce's personal brand brings strong fundraising potential, a fact not lost on One Nation officials hoping to fill their coffers before strict donation limitations take effect in July next year.
Nationals like Senator Matt Canavan have urged Joyce to stay, warning him to 'look before you leap.' Canavan points to Hanson's past struggles to form a team and questions the electoral logic of the burka stunt when the party is polling at a high of 18 percent nationally. However, Hanson insists no deal has been stitched up and that Joyce's decision is entirely his to make.
Joyce has been coy about his thinking, but comments on 2GB on Tuesday morning were telling. 'I'm a front row forward, and front row forwards want to be in the middle of the ruck,' he said. 'If I'm staying in politics, that's where I am going to play … otherwise you get out.'
