Australian politics could be in for a dramatic realignment as renegade MP Barnaby Joyce prepares for a crucial dinner meeting with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson in Canberra next week.
The high-stakes political courtship sees Hanson actively attempting to poach the veteran Nationals MP for her party, with both figures confirming they will break bread together in the nation's capital.
The Dinner Invitation That Could Change Everything
Senator Hanson revealed her plans to personally cook for Mr Joyce during an interview with ABC radio on Tuesday. "I intend to cook him dinner and have a good chat with him," she stated, making no secret of her intentions. "I'm going to have a good talk with him about whether his prospects will be better with One Nation... Of course, I want him on board."
This won't be the first time the One Nation leader has played chef for the New England MP within her Parliament House office. Mr Joyce described Hanson's culinary style as distinctly no-fuss, telling reporters: "She is very much the no-fuss mum in the kitchen, talking to you in the next room whilst standing over the cooking."
When it comes to the menu, those familiar with their previous meetings expect steak to feature prominently, served with either vegetables or salad.
Joyce at a Political Crossroads
The dinner invitation comes at a pivotal moment in Mr Joyce's political career. The former deputy prime minister finds himself on the Nationals backbench after being sidelined by Opposition Leader Sussan Ley during this year's federal election campaign.
More significantly, Mr Joyce has announced he will not recontest his New England seat at the next election, leaving his political future uncertain. Sources close to the MP indicate he is seriously considering a defection to One Nation that would position him for a NSW Senate seat.
Mr Joyce remains undecided about whether he will even rejoin the Nationals party room when Parliament resumes next week, highlighting the depth of his current disillusionment with the Coalition.
Policy Divisions Driving the Split
The potential defection appears rooted in significant policy disagreements, particularly around climate and energy. Mr Joyce expressed deep reservations about the Coalition's recently announced climate and energy policy, which maintains commitment to the Paris Agreement but abandons Australia's net zero by 2050 target.
"What is going to be asked of me in town halls is, 'have you stopped these transmission lines?'" Mr Joyce said, referring to renewable energy infrastructure projects. "Now, I'm working out what is the answer to that question... The next thing is, are we going to be able to provide base load power, as we have in the past in an unambiguous way, which is coal-fired power?"
The Nationals MP dismissed the CSIRO's GenCost report—which found wind and solar to be the most cost-effective new electricity sources—as based on a "fallacy." Instead, he pointed to industrial casualties of Australia's energy transition, specifically mentioning the Tomago aluminium smelter in the Hunter region and Rio Tinto's decision to slash alumina production at its Gladstone refinery.
Senator Hanson echoed these sentiments, arguing the Coalition "haven't gone far enough" in their climate policy shift. "They should be getting out of the Paris Agreement, because you can't have one without the other," she stated.
Her pitch to Mr Joyce emphasizes their alignment on these issues: "we're on the same page on net zero, and working together, we can do a lot for the country."
One Nation's Rising Momentum
The potential recruitment of a political heavyweight like Barnaby Joyce comes as One Nation experiences significant growth in voter support. While the party attracted just 6.4 per cent of the primary vote nationally at the May election, recent polling tells a different story.
The Resolve Political Monitor conducted in September indicated One Nation's support had surged to a record high of 12 per cent, reflecting growing voter dissatisfaction with major parties.
Senator Hanson, who plans to launch a Canberra branch soon, emphasized her desire to recruit "people with the vested interests of this country at heart, like Barnaby has."
The timing of this political courtship—as both major parties grapple with challenging policy decisions and voter sentiment shifts—suggests Australian politics may be entering a period of significant realignment, with a simple steak dinner in Parliament House potentially serving as the catalyst for much larger changes.
