Two more Nationals have put their hands up to form part of a new leadership team in the lead-up to Warren Truss’s expected retirement announcement, as the scope for a ministerial reshuffle broadens.
Truss, the deputy prime minister and leader of the National party, is expected to end months of speculation by outlining plans for his future on Thursday.
The human services minister, Stuart Robert, is likely to have his political future decided on Thursday, with an inquiry into whether he breached ministerial guidelines during a controversial trip to China also due.
Truss’s deputy, Barnaby Joyce, is frontrunner for the top job but he faces competition. Michael McCormack, who now holds the position of assistant minister to the deputy prime minister, has not ruled out running.
“I haven’t had the experience of Barnaby Joyce but I’m very consultative,” he told ABC Radio.
He said Joyce, who was “revered” by some sections of the rural community, would “do an outstanding job” as leader. “Certainly, he will be an interesting ride,” McCormack said.
Should his tilt at the top job be unsuccessful, McCormack would throw his hat in the ring for the job of deputy. “That could be a Melbourne Cup field.”
The assistant defence minister, Darren Chester, also has his eye on the deputy spot. “Some very capable people have put their hand up, and I’m joining them,” Chester said.
Nationals are pushing for an additional spot around the cabinet table, potentially setting up the need for Malcolm Turnbull to fill five cabinet spots from their party. Apart from the vacancy to be left by Truss, Andrew Robb’s retirement could leave an opening in the future, though he has promised the prime minister he will stay in the trade portfolio in the short term.
In December the cities minister, Jamie Briggs, resigned from the ministry over misconduct with a diplomatic staffer, and Mal Brough stood aside pending the outcome of a police investigation into his role in the Peter Slipper affair.
Pressure on Stuart Robert is mounting, as News Corp Australia published photos of the minister at a private dinner with a Chinese businessman organisted at the request of his friend and Liberal party donor Paul Marks.
Robert has been in hot water over his decision to go with Marks to Beijing in August 2014 to mark the completion of a business deal. While there, the then-assistant defence minister met with Chinese government officials despite stating that the trip was not an official ministerial one.
Labor wants Turnbull to sack Robert. “To lose one minister is careless, to lose two ministers is unfortunate but I don’t know what they are going to say when Stuart Robert goes,” the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said.
“Then you’ve got other senior ministers, respected politicians, Andrew Robb, Mr Truss [resigning]. Malcolm Turnbull is losing his experience at a rate of knots.
“What is it that Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t understand about a minister acting in his private capacity, not his official capacity? It is not standard business for Australians when they are having a holiday in China to turn up at the signing ceremony after mega financial deal between a resources company and the Chinese government.”
