00:00Barnaby Joyce has been a key figure in Australian politics for many years, serving as Deputy
00:08Prime Minister alongside Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison in the previous coalition
00:13government.
00:14Now, Mr Joyce has just put out a statement.
00:17He said his relationship with the leader of the Nationals party has, unfortunately, like
00:22a sadness in some marriages, irreparably broken down.
00:27He said part of this breakdown came from being sidelined during the federal election when
00:31he was told not to campaign outside of his seat of New England.
00:36He also said he was frustrated that after the election, he was moved on to make way for generational
00:41change and felt like his voice was no longer being heard.
00:46Now we know that the opposition has been grappling with a sort of identity crisis following crushing
00:52election defeat earlier this year.
00:55And there have been some loud voices, some outspoken MPs and senators jostling for control
01:01over the party's future, butting heads over key policies like immigration and net zero.
01:08While the coalition is yet to announce any formal policies of its own, Mr Joyce said that their
01:14current position in continuing to support a net zero target by 2050 was just something,
01:22was it was a massive factor in his decision.
01:24He says that he even went so far as saying that the net zero policy was in his words creating
01:30hate between lifelong friends in his community, which in his view meant staying in the Nationals
01:36party room was Nationals party was untenable.
01:39He said he will not be standing for New England again, but will complete his term as promised at the
01:47last election.
01:48Mr Joyce says he's now considering his next step, which does not rule out running for One Nation
01:55in the Senate.
01:56So watch this space, Mel.
01:57More to come on this, no doubt, Sam Dick in Canberra there for us, thank you.
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