‘Free agent’ Barnaby Joyce snubs Nationals meeting amid net zero stance, as One Nation change feeds rumours

Barnaby Joyce cast himself into political limbo as Parliament returned on Monday, as he snubbed the Nationals party room meeting but denied rumours he was joining One Nation.

After a morning of media questioning over his political future, the maverick MP was noticeably flat as he slumped in his usual chair in the Coalition ranks at Question Time.

Mr Joyce announced he would quit the Nationals last week, labelling himself a “free agent” after railing against the party’s net zero stance and declaring he wouldn’t contest his seat of New England at the next election.

The Nationals are reviewing the party’s commitment to net zero, but Mr Joyce believes both his colleagues and the Liberals should dump the policy.

Asked by one reporter whether his position on the emissions policy was all or nothing, he said it was a matter of aspiration and targets.

“If I was to say . . . I have a target to punch you in the nose, but now I’ve just got an aspiration, would you feel more comfortable about it?” Mr Joyce asked the journalist.

“By the way, I’m not a violent man,” he added. “That was a metaphor, not a promise.”

Mr Joyce also refused to rule out rejoining the Nationals and said he’d make that decision “down the track”.

Before the Nationals 10.30am party room, leader David Littleproud had publicly welcomed Mr Joyce to stay in the party and contribute to discussions.

Mr Joyce was also slow to dispel rumours that he was gearing up to run for an NSW Senate seat with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation banner as a succession plan for the founder’s eventual retirement.

While the Senator Hanson has denied the plan, she officially removed her name from the title of the minor party she founded almost 30 years ago — leaving it as simply One Nation.

“I haven’t joined One Nation,” Mr Joyce told reporters in Canberra on Monday but hinted at setting up a meeting with Senator Hanson this week.

He refused to put a timeline on any future potential move, however, confirmed he would not sit as an independent.

“That’s one thing I will rule out. I will not sit as an independent,” Mr Joyce said.

He added “I’m still in the National party” despite snubbing their party room meeting to appear in a Sky News interview around the same time.

Mr Joyce, however, insisted he would sit in his usual seat in the House of Representatives alongside his Coalition colleagues.

Mr Joyce had claimed last week his bold step back from the Nationals came after an “irreparably broken down” of his relationship with Mr Littleproud.

When later asked if he was looking to become an independent, Mr Joyce was vague about his intentions and refused to clear up the confusion.

“I’m Barnaby Joyce and I’m very proud of it every time I look at my name tag,” Mr Joyce instead responded.

“I’m a parliamentarian that’s had the incredible blessing of representing the people of New England.

“I’ll continue to do what is best for the people of New England. That’s my job first and foremost above everything else.”

He added that he was “probably better” he wasn’t in the party room, suggesting he would be a potential leak of party information.

“It’s probably better that I’m not there . . . so that the room can have the confidence of what they say, stays in the room,” he said.

He then monologued about net zero supporters trying to appease “the millennials, the millennials, the millennials in North Sydney.”

His absence comes as the Coalition hold a string of meetings to help shape their future energy policy position.

On Friday, backbenchers have been invited to a three-hour roundtable to express their views and to hear insights from Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan’s wide-ranging policy consultation.

Early on Monday, Mr Joyce heckled Curtin MP Kate Chaney in Parliament after the independent spoke out against his private member’s bill to repeal net zero.

The teal MP had told the House of Representatives on Monday morning that “it’s not a burden; it’s a blueprint for the future”.

After her short address, Speaker and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour was forced to issue a warning to Mr Joyce about his interjections.

Shortly after the row on the floor, Mr Joyce appeared on a Sky News interview where he expressed his frustration over sitting next to teals.

“It’s very annoying sitting next to the teals. It’s almost like a sense of entitlement that they can inflict on regional people,” Mr Joyce said.

“Net Zero is devastating for regional people.”

Mr Joyce had slumped in his chair and frequently rubbed his face as he copped a spray from Chris Bowen in Question Time.

Mr Bowen had labelled Mr Joyce’s decision to exit his seat and the Nationals as “the greatest service he’s ever given” the party.

“They are focused on their internal politics, the National Party interests, not the national interest,” Mr Bowen told the floor.