Former Nationals leader and Riverina MP Michael McCormack was just on ABC News 24, where he was asked about saying he was “ambitious” for Nationals leader David Littleproud in an interview this morning.
If that sounds familiar, this is why.
Here was McCormack’s exchange with host Isobel Roe just now.
Roe: ”Are you sounding the death knell there for his leadership [in making that statement]?”
McCormack: ”No, no it was tongue in cheek. I’m a student of political history. I just, just answered the question, I am ambitious for David, want the Nationals to be the best they can be. He is our leader and I support in.”
Roe: ”You’re the former Deputy Prime Minister, you can’t say something like that without setting off alarm bells. It is surely intentional. What did you mean by that?”
McCormack: ”You can’t always be playing straight, I’d just watched Matt’s Thistlethwaite’s interview, just read off the Labor’s talking points, sometimes you’ve just got to stray a little bit and say a few things that you actually mean and actually mean to say…”
Roe: ”So what did you mean by saying that particularly poignant phrase which two days later and the leadership of a Prime Minister?”
McCormack: ”I’m not planning to roll David any time soon.”
Roe then asked if that meant he might run from a future. “You’re not going to put a redline through your name forever.”
Former Nationals leaders Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
He also said he hadn’t spoken to Barnaby Joyce, after Joyce said he would back McCormack if the latter sought Littleproud’s job.
Later McCormack was asked if Littleproud’s leadership was tenable after the week he’s had in taking the Nationals out of the Coalition (negotiations are continuing to restore that relationship).
McCormack’s answer: “Well, the party room will decide that. I haven’t heard anybody sort of – any murmurings, you know, being a spill motion.”