00:02Kicking off game day with a goal.
00:05Matt Canavan getting his eye in early ahead of the main event,
00:09a party room meeting to vote for the new Nationals leader.
00:13The main thing I thought this morning is as long as I score in the party room.
00:16Hours later...
00:17I would like to announce that Matt Canavan is the new leader of the Federal Nationals.
00:21Thanks, mate. Thank you.
00:22The Queensland Senator winning a snap vote
00:25triggered by David Littleproud's shock resignation yesterday.
00:28I stood for this role because I think we are losing our country
00:32and we have to fight back for Australians.
00:34Victorian MP Darren Chester becoming deputy leader.
00:38The message I hear everywhere I go in regional Australia
00:41is that people have been left behind.
00:44A backer of the coal industry, Matt Canavan drove the push
00:47for the Nationals to dump net zero,
00:50which was then followed by their coalition partner,
00:53today signalling his focus on local manufacturing and higher birth rates.
00:58We need more Australian babies, we need more Australian humour,
01:01more Australian jokes, we need more Australian barbecues,
01:04sometimes often fuelled by fossil fuels.
01:06While it's unconventional to elect a Senator as leader,
01:09it's not unheard of.
01:11Matt Canavan sidestepped when asked if he'll make a tilt
01:14at the lower house any time soon.
01:16But the outspoken Queenslander is widely viewed
01:19as someone who can take the fight up to One Nation leader,
01:22Pauline Hanson.
01:23Her resurgent party, currently the Nationals' biggest threat.
01:28I worry about where Pauline would take this country
01:31to an area of more division.
01:33Pauline Hanson weighing in,
01:35saying Matt Canavan has joined the woke pile-on,
01:39choosing to attack One Nation
01:40instead of opening the door to working together.
01:43The upcoming Tharabai election set to be a key test
01:46for the Nationals' new look leadership.
01:49We won't just be taking it up to Labor,
01:51but watch out One Nation.
01:52Resetting ahead of an uphill battle.
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