General News
31 October, 2025
Cross border divorce: Joyce and Littleproud
Changes afoot in the Nationals
The folks in Tenterfield Shire and on the Southern Downs are the children of the very public divorce between Barnaby Joyce and David Littleproud.
The Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, claims years of simmering personal tension with Nationals leader David Littleproud prompted his decision to quit the party and explore a possible move to One Nation.
The former Nationals leader revealed to Sky News that his relationship with Mr Littleproud had deteriorated beyond repair, comparing it to a “bad marriage.” The rift, he said, had been building for years and became clear when he was told not to leave his electorate during the 2025 federal election campaign.
Mayor Bronwyn Petrie told the Town & Country Journal that she was surprised that Mr Joyce was shackled to his electorate, unlike other candidates, when historically he has been a proven fund-raiser and is generally well-liked.
Marginalising Barnaby did not contribute to a healthy relationship with the National party.
Unsurprisingly, Mr Joyce confirmed that he would not contest his long-held seat of New England, marking the end of his decades-long association with the Nationals.
“It’s not really … effective for me, nor effective for them (if I) remain in the room,” he said. “And so you’ve got to accept that and move on.”
While not yet written in stone, it seems clear that Mr Joyce plans to defect to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, where some believe he could eventually succeed Ms Hanson as leader. The outspoken MP said it was “unfortunate” to walk away from the party he once led but added that it was time to “pull the band aid off.”
“I won’t be involved with the National Party at a political level in Canberra. And that’s very sad. I love my members of the Nationals at a local level,” Mr Joyce has said publicly, describing himself as a “free agent” who would decide his political future “in his own time.”
Joyce’s tumultuous two-decade career has been punctuated by self-inflicted controversies—from the dual citizenship debacle to scandals in his personal life.
The Town & Country Journal contacted both Barnaby Joyce and David Littleproud for comment and received no response.
