Transport and Infrastructure Minister Michael McCormack has been ousted as leader of the Nationals and will be replaced by former leader Barnaby Joyce.
It comes after Joyce’s ally, former resources minister Matt Canavan, moved a spill motion against McCormack on Monday morning.
The outgoing Deputy PM played a hugely significant role in aviation during the COVID crisis, most prominently as a key figure introducing the ‘RANS’ and ‘DANS’ supplemented routes initiative.
Reports speculate Joyce will harden the party’s position against Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s plans of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
On Saturday afternoon, McCormack played down the “unsourced reports” predicting his demise today.
“I am concentrating to make sure we get things sorted during this pandemic which has killed 3.8million people and we have a big job to do for and on behalf of all Australians,” Mr McCormack said.
“If others want to talk about themselves then that is a matter for them.
“It is only an unsourced online report and I am not going to speculate on an online news story.
“I am the elected leader of the Nationals and I have been elected three times leader.”
Barnaby Joyce resigned as National party leader in 2018 after it emerged he had an affair with the former press secretary to ex-Treasurer Peter Costello, Vikki Campion.
The couple have since had two sons.
More to follow…
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Source: https://australianaviation.com.au/2021/06/breaking-transport-minister-mccormack-ousted-as-deputy-pm/
