MEMBER for Mallee Anne Webster says she intends to put her hand up for deputy leader of the Nationals Party as potential challengers to Barnaby Joyce’s role as Nationals leader emerge.
Dr Webster said while she could see several Nationals MPs vying for deputy leadership, she said the role could benefit the Mallee electorate and would be “an excellent learning space”.
“I am going to put my hand up for the deputy leader role,” Dr Webster said. “It would be very valuable to have a Victorian woman in the role.
“The higher up you are, the more capacity you have to influence outcomes. I’m passionate about the Mallee.
“My priority is that we find a place of stability to move forward. People are over politics and politicians talking about themselves.”
Less than a year after its last leadership spill, the National Party could have a new leader as Gippsland MP Darren Chester signalled he was close to deciding on if he would contest Barnaby Joyce for leadership.
Mr Chester wrote on a Facebook post he would decide between “supporting someone else or having a crack myself” and has emerged as a candidate alongside former Nationals leader Michael McCormack.
Six Nationals MPs, including Mr Chester and Dr Webster, received positive swings toward them in the primary vote last Saturday, but questions have been raised about the party’s position on issues such as the climate.
Dr Webster said she would not say whom she would support in a leadership spill, but said it was a “healthy democratic process”.
“We’re arguably one of the most stable parties going around and I think this discussion is healthy,” Dr Webster said.
Amid discussions about who will become the next leader of the Liberal Party, Farrer MP Sussan Ley has denied reports she is set to become deputy leader.
Ms Ley said it was too soon after the election to talk about who would assume leadership roles with the Liberal party.
“The next leadership is something my party colleagues and I will discuss in coming weeks when we have the chance to gather and reflect on the weekend’s result,” Ms Ley said.
Several names had been raised in recent days to replace Scott Morrison as Liberals leader, including former Trade Minister Dan Tehan and Queensland MP Karen Andrews.
But Ms Andrews told ABC News earlier today that Ms Ley was “almost certain” to play a role in bringing together a shadow ministry and “reshaping” the party for the future.
“I believe Peter Dutton will be elected unopposed as the leader of the Liberal Party,” Ms Andrews said. “His deputy is almost certain to be Sussan Ley.”
