David Littleproud Becomes National Party Leader, Says Cutting Emissions Is ‘First Principles’

Newly elected Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie, newly elected Nationals leader David Littleproud and newly elected Nationals Deputy Leader Perin Davey at a press conference after a Nationals Party meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 30, 2022. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

David Littleproud has been elected as the new leader of the conservative National party after a party room vote on Monday, ousting incumbent Barnaby Joyce and former minister Darren Chester.

Senator Perin Davey from New South Wales will be the deputy leader.

In his first press conference as leader, Littleproud said the Nationals, which is the minor party in the centre-right Coalition, are “the conscience of rural and regional Australia” in the parliament.

“This is the proudest day of my professional life,” he said on May 30.

Meanwhile, Davey promised that the Nationals would “continue to be a strong voice for the regions.”

“We’ve got three years to make sure we hold the new government to account and to make sure they don’t forget the regions, and they don’t sell us short by doing deals with other parties and other interests,” she said.

In a statement, Joyce, who retained his seat in New England, wished the new leadership team well and hinted he does not plan to leave parliament.

“I suppose you think I am sad. Not really,” Joyce said.

Australia's former deputy Prime Minister and former National Party leader Barnaby Joyce speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on June 21, 2021. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

“I gave every ounce of my energy to make sure that I looked after the people of regional Australia, the people in the small family businesses, the people in the weatherboard, and iron, the people on the farms, making sure that we drove the investments to take their standard of living ahead.”

Last year, then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison set a net-zero target for Australia after sustained pressure from the climate advocates, and the media. The move, appeared however to fail to win over inner-city and younger voters, who decided to bank their vote with the “teal” independents and Australian Greens—both are promising more aggressive climate change policies.

The Coalition’s defeat, largely to the teals and Greens, has been interpreted by some MPs as a failure by the outgoing government to take climate change action seriously.

However, Littleproud has claimed the Australian elections were won from the centre, although all Nationals sitting candidates were able to retain their seats in the 2022 election.

“This is not about the National lurching left or lurching right, it’s using common sense and being in the sensible centre. That’s where you win elections, not chasing extremities.”

Littleproud noted that the National party’s “first principles” are about reducing emissions to net-zero by 2050, which could be achieved by improving biosecurity.

“I don’t think regional and rural are against reducing emissions,” he said, noting that the main issue is detailing a plan on “how you’re going to pay for it and who will pay for it.”

Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on Jun. 22, 2021. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

His view was in stark contrast with Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, who argued the Coalition will never be able to sell “net-zero socialism.”

In an op-ed for the Financial Review on May 26, Canavan wrote that in order to win back the government, the Coalition needs to stop chasing people that rarely vote for them including “climate-conscious voters” who will opt for “the real teals.”

The conservative senator added that the net-zero emissions agenda was “for the massive expansion of government and corporate control” which doesn’t align with the Coalition’s principles of individual freedom, low tax and limited government.

“By supporting net-zero, our opponents by signing up to the radical, green idea that we should totally transform how we make food and energy, within a generation, using technologies that don’t yet exist.”

Daniel Y. Teng contributed to this report.