2025 National Party of Australia leadership spill
{{short description|Australian political party election}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2025 National Party of Australia
leadership spill
| flag_image = 150px
| election_date = 12 May 2025
| previous_election = 2022 National Party of Australia leadership spill
| previous_year = 2022
| next_election =
| next_year =
| module = {{Infobox election
| election_name = Leadership election
| embed = yes
| type = presidential
| vote_type = Caucus
| ongoing = no
| party_colour = no
| title = Leader
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image = David Littleproud.jpg|bSize = 130|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 2|oLeft = 3}}
| color1 = 008000
| candidate1 = David Littleproud
| popular_vote1 = Won
| 1data1 = Maranoa (Qld)
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Matt_Canavan.jpg
|bSize = 155|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 19}}
| color2 = 008000
| candidate2 = Matt Canavan
| popular_vote2 = Lost
| 1data2 = Senator for Qld
| 1blank = Seat
| before_election = David Littleproud
| after_election = David Littleproud
| module = {{Infobox election
| election_name = Deputy leadership election
| embed = yes
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| party_colour = no
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Kevin Hogan 2019.jpg|bSize = 130|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 2|oLeft = 5|Location=center}}
| colour1 = 008000
| candidate1 = Kevin Hogan
| popular_vote1 = Won
| 1data1 = Page (NSW)
| image2 =
| colour2 =
| candidate2 =
| popular_vote2 =
| 1data2 =
| 1blank = Seat
| title = Deputy Leader
| vote_type = Caucus
| before_election = Perin Davey
| after_election = Kevin Hogan
}}}}
}}
The 2025 National Party of Australia leadership spill was held on 12 May 2025 to elect the leader of the National Party of Australia.{{cite web |last1=Scully |first1=Jess |last2=Rachel Holdsworth |first2=Rachel |name-list-style=and |url-status=live |title=Nationals weigh up increased Coalition role after federal election |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-05/nationals-push-more-shadow-ministries-liberal-election-result/105252704 |work=ABC News |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250506064347/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-05/nationals-push-more-shadow-ministries-liberal-election-result/105252704 |archive-date=6 May 2025 |date=5 May 2025}}
Incumbent leader David Littleproud was re-elected after being challenged by Queensland senator Matt Canavan, while Kevin Hogan won the deputy leadership following Perin Davey's defeat at the 2025 federal election.{{cite web |title=Ley in, Tehan out of Liberal leadership bid as rift over Price's defection emerges |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/liberals-set-date-for-leadership-vote-as-keating-criticises-albanese-cabinet-reshuffle/29m4fp8jl |first=David |last=Aidone |agency=Australian Associated Press |url-status=live |work=SBS News |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250508133743/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/liberals-set-date-for-leadership-vote-as-keating-criticises-albanese-cabinet-reshuffle/29m4fp8jl |archive-date=8 May 2025 |date=8 May 2025}} Bridget McKenzie was re-elected as Nationals leader in the Senate, and although her term expires on 30 June 2025, Davey was elected deputy Senate leader.{{cite web |last1=Sakkal |first1=Paul |title=Littleproud sees off challenger and Ley thinks she has the numbers |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/littleproud-sees-off-challenger-and-ley-thinks-she-has-the-numbers-20250512-p5lyck.html |url-access=subscription |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=12 May 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250513003050/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/littleproud-sees-off-challenger-and-ley-thinks-she-has-the-numbers-20250512-p5lyck.html |url-status=live |archive-date=13 May 2025 |date=12 May 2025}}{{cite tweet |number=1921785044546306194 |user=RossCadell |title=Following the meeting of the Nationals Senate team, Senator McKenzie and Senator Davey have been re-elected to the Leader and Deputy leader positions respectively |date=2025-05-12 |access-date=2025-05-12 |first=Ross |last=Cadell |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.today/2025.05.12-164352/https://x.com/RossCadell/status/1921785044546306194 |archive-date=2025-05-12 |df=dmy-all}}
The Nationals hold an automatic leadership spill following every federal election.{{cite web |last1=Barbour |first1=Lucy |last2=Sullivan |first2=Kath |title=Barnaby Joyce's leadership tested as National Party fights to retain all seats this federal election |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-11/federal-election-test-barnaby-joyce-leadership-of-nationals-/101026070 |work=ABC News |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207231227/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-11/federal-election-test-barnaby-joyce-leadership-of-nationals-/101026070 |at=Analysis |name-list-style=and |url-status=live |archive-date=7 February 2024 |date=11 May 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Tillett |first1=Andrew |title=Joyce becomes Nats' second choice as Littleproud takes reins |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/joyce-becomes-nats-second-choice-as-littleproud-takes-reins-20220530-p5apnm |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |work=Australian Financial Review |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928120353/https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/joyce-becomes-nats-second-choice-as-littleproud-takes-reins-20220530-p5apnm |archive-date=28 September 2023 |date=30 May 2022}} The results of its internal ballots are not officially released.{{cite web |last=Grattan |first=Michelle |title=Barnaby Joyce's leadership challenge fails, taking minister down with him |url=https://www.indaily.com.au/news/politics/2020/02/04/barnaby-joyces-leadership-challenge-fails |url-status=live |work=InDaily |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811063747/https://www.indaily.com.au/news/politics/2020/02/04/barnaby-joyces-leadership-challenge-fails |archive-date=11 August 2024 |date=4 February 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Sullivan |first1=Kath |last2=Evans |first2=Jake |title=David Littleproud elected to lead the Nationals in opposition after post-election leadership vote |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-30/barnaby-joyce-out-david-littleproud-elected-to-lead-nationals/101109494 |name-list-style=and |url-status=live |work=ABC News |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227175532/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-30/barnaby-joyce-out-david-littleproud-elected-to-lead-nationals/101109494 |archive-date=27 December 2024 |date=30 May 2022}}
Background
=2022 leadership spill=
{{main|2022 National Party of Australia leadership spill}}
The Liberal–National coalition lost the 2022 federal election to the Labor Party, although the Nationals retained all of its 16 seats in the House of Representatives (including 6 MPs from the Liberal National Party of Queensland who sit in the Nationals party room).{{cite web |last=Foley |first=Mike |title=Nationals leadership spill is yet another battle in climate wars |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nationals-leadership-spill-is-yet-another-battle-in-the-climate-wars-20220525-p5aodv.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250513025445/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nationals-leadership-spill-is-yet-another-battle-in-the-climate-wars-20220525-p5aodv.html |archive-date=13 May 2025 |date=25 May 2022}}{{cite web |last=Karp |first=Paul |title=Labor secures majority government despite record non-major party vote and crossbench |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/30/labor-secures-majority-government-despite-record-non-major-party-vote-and-crossbench |work=The Guardian |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915192701/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/30/labor-secures-majority-government-despite-record-non-major-party-vote-and-crossbench |url-status=live |archive-date=15 September 2024 |date=30 May 2022}}
On 30 May 2022, the Nationals held a leadership election. Deputy leader David Littleproud challenged incumbent leader Barnaby Joyce and won, with Perin Davey replacing Littleproud as deputy leader.{{cite web |author1=Australian Associated Press |last2=Chan |first2=Gabrielle |title=David Littleproud elected new Nationals leader with Perin Davey as deputy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/30/david-littleproud-elected-new-nationals-leader-with-perin-davey-as-deputy |url-status=live |work=The Guardian |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127172358/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/30/david-littleproud-elected-new-nationals-leader-with-perin-davey-as-deputy |archive-date=27 January 2025 |date=30 May 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Melleuish |first1=Gregory |first2=Sam |last2=Mooy |title=The Nationals suddenly find themselves with a new leader and in opposition. So where to now? |url=https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2022/the-nationals-suddenly-find-themselves-with-a-new-leader-and-in-opposition-so-where-to-now.php |work=University of Wollongong |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320011838/https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2022/the-nationals-suddenly-find-themselves-with-a-new-leader-and-in-opposition-so-where-to-now.php |archive-date=20 March 2025 |date=10 June 2022}}
=2025 federal election=
{{main|2025 Australian federal election}}
The Labor government, led by prime minister Anthony Albanese, was re-elected on 3 May 2025 to a second consecutive term in office in a landslide victory. The Nationals retained all House of Representative seats it held prior to the election, while Andrew Gee – who resigned from the Nationals in December 2023 – was re-elected in the seat of Calare as an independent.{{cite web |last=McHugh |first=Finn |title='Lost the faith': Nationals MP quits over party's Voice to Parliament stance |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/this-just-isnt-right-nationals-mp-quits-over-partys-voice-to-parliament-stance/tsht55jj1 |url-status=live |work=SBS News |access-date=27 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328084821/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/this-just-isnt-right-nationals-mp-quits-over-partys-voice-to-parliament-stance/tsht55jj1 |archive-date=28 March 2025 |orig-date=23 December 2022 |date=12 April 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Ross |first1=Isabella |last2=Vidal |first2=Paulina |title=Liberals retain handful of NSW seats as Labor, Teal vote surges in federal election |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-04/federal-election-nsw-seats-sydney-electorates-results-labor/105238722 |url-status=live |work=ABC News |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250508125919/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-04/federal-election-nsw-seats-sydney-electorates-results-labor/105238722 |archive-date=8 May 2025 |date=4 May 2025}} However, New South Wales senator Perin Davey – who was placed third on the Coalition's ticket – was not re-elected.{{cite web |last1=Jervis-Bardy |first1=Dan |last2=Butler |first2=Josh |title=Labor poised to grow Senate numbers allowing it to pass legislation with only Greens support |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/05/labor-senate-numbers-greens-crossbench-australian-federal-election |work=The Guardian |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250507070724/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/05/labor-senate-numbers-greens-crossbench-australian-federal-election |url-status=live |archive-date=7 May 2025 |date=5 May 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Giannini |first1=Dominic |title=Coalition alliance rethink as city, rural divide opens |url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/coalition-alliance-rethink-city-rural-040321937.html |url-status=live |via=Yahoo! News |work=Australian Associated Press |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250507042415/https://au.news.yahoo.com/coalition-alliance-rethink-city-rural-040321937.html |archive-date=7 May 2025 |date=7 May 2025}}
=2025 leadership spill=
Colin Boyce, the member for Flynn, was the first Nationals MP to call for a change in leadership, saying Littleproud should step down because he "must bear some of the responsibility for what happened".{{cite web |last=Sakkal |first=Paul |title=Jacinta Price defects to Liberals, expected to run as Angus Taylor's deputy |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/jacinta-price-to-defect-to-liberals-to-join-angus-taylor-s-leadership-team-20250508-p5lxon.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250509052504/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/jacinta-price-to-defect-to-liberals-to-join-angus-taylor-s-leadership-team-20250508-p5lxon.html |url-status=live |archive-date=9 May 2025 |date=8 May 2025}}
Candidates
=Leader=
==Declared==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! width=235px; colspan=3| Candidate ! width=115px| Electorate ! width=155px| Announced ! width=650px| Portfolio(s) |
| width="3pt" {{Australian party style|nationals}} |
| 100px | Maranoa (Qld) | align=left |
|
| width="3pt" {{Australian party style|nationals}} |
| 100px | align=left |
|
==Declined==
=Deputy leader=
==Declared==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! width=235px; colspan=3| Candidate ! width=115px| Electorate ! width=650px| Portfolio(s) |
| width="3pt" {{Australian party style|nationals}} |
| 100px | Page (NSW) | align=left |
|
==Declined==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! width=235px; colspan=3| Candidate ! width=115px| Electorate ! width=155px| Declined ! width=650px| Portfolio(s) |
| width="3pt" {{Australian party style|nationals}} |
| 100px | 12 May 2025 | align=left |
|
| width="3pt" {{Australian party style|nationals}} |
| 100px | Senator for the Northern Territory | 8 May 2025 (joined Liberal Party){{cite web |last1=Hislop |first1=Madeline |title=Jacinta Nampijinpa Price defects to Liberal Party |url=https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/jacinta-nampijinpa-price-defects-to-liberal-party/ |work=Women's Agenda |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250508144147/https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/jacinta-nampijinpa-price-defects-to-liberal-party/ |archive-date=8 May 2025 |date=8 May 2025}} | align=left |
|
Endorsements
=David Littleproud=
{{Endorsements box
| title = List of David Littleproud endorsements
| list =
Federal Nationals members
- Michael McCormack – MP for Riverina (NSW) and former Nationals leader (2018-2021){{cite web |last1=Hevesi |first1=Bryant |title=Nationals leadership race heats up as Michael McCormack says David Littleproud has earned the right to remain in top role amid challenge from Matt Canavan |url=https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/nationals-leadership-race-heats-up-as-michael-mccormack-says-david-littleproud-has-earned-the-right-to-remain-in-top-role-amid-challenge-from-matt-canavan/news-story/e164b502015ec15aba171d08e50b6c30 |work=Sky News Australia |url-status=live |access-date=12 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250512052332/https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/nationals-leadership-race-heats-up-as-michael-mccormack-says-david-littleproud-has-earned-the-right-to-remain-in-top-role-amid-challenge-from-matt-canavan/news-story/e164b502015ec15aba171d08e50b6c30 |archive-date=12 May 2025 |date=12 May 2025}}
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{National Party of Australia}}
{{Leadership spills in Australia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Party of Australia leadership spill}}
Category:2025 Australian federal election
Category:2025 elections in Australia