Darren Chester

Nationals MP and former veteran affairs minister Darren Chester will challenge Barnaby Joyce for the Nationals leadership when they meet in Canberra next ...

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Chester confirmed his intention to nominate for the leadership late on Thursday, saying it was “time for a change”.

Earlier in the week, former National Party leader Michael McCormack told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald he was also considering nominating himself to return to the top job saying the Nationals were in a “despairing” position now the Coalition was out of government. Three Nationals MPs, speaking to The Age and Sydney Morning Herald on the condition of anonymity, said they also expect deputy leader David Littleproud to mount a challenge on Monday. Chester confirmed his intention to nominate for the leadership late on Thursday, telling The Age and Sydney Morning Herald it was “time for a change”.

Former minister Darren Chester confirmed overnight he will stand against Joyce when the party meets in Canberra on Monday. Chester said it was "time for a ...

Nationals MPs expect former federal agriculture minister David Littleproud to also challenge for the leadership on Monday. Former minister Darren Chester confirmed overnight he will stand against Joyce when the party meets in Canberra on Monday. Nationals leaderBarnaby Joycewill face a leadership challenge when the party room meets next week.

Barnaby Joyce's leadership of the National Party came under severe threat late on Thursday night after former veterans' affairs minister Darren Chester ...

Barnaby Joyce (left) is pictured on the floor of the House of Representatives with Darren Chester (right). Mr Chester is now challenging Mr Joyce for the leadership of the National Party Mr Joyce told the ABC he is not bothered about being challenged for the leadership and is 'completely at ease with the democratic process'. The former veterans' affairs minister Darren Chester (pictured with his wife Julie), is challenging Barnaby Joyce for the leadership of the National Party

Fresh from his success at the Federal Election, Member for Gippsland Darren Chester sits down with Gippsland Times journalist Stefan Bradley to discuss a ...

I think the people of Gippsland accepted that I was away when I was a Minister because I was doing an important job. DC: I’m still considering my position and reflecting on feedback from colleagues close to the leadership meeting on Monday. Constituents and people from around the country have been ringing my office encouraging me to run, the only people who get a vote are the 22 members of the Nationals party room, and it’s more important to understand where their heads are at right now. DC: Finish the Traralgon-Sale duplication, fund the Traralgon bypass, Sale Alternative Route, and we need further investment in Gippsland rail. You called the Victorian Liberals an election losing machine in a Facebook post. They have members in the suburbs and in provincial centres, but none in regional and rural towns, and that’s a gap in their knowledge. I think it can be done without quotas, because I think quotas send a potentially negative message that you only got there because you’re a woman, and I don’t think that’s fair to them. Some of my colleagues with more extreme views are happy for us to stay in opposition – I couldn’t believe some of the things they said during the campaign. But, there was a significant swing against the Nationals in a number of seats, and you’ve lost government. I had quite a few voters walk up to me during the campaign and at pre-poll, and say very politely and respectfully to my face that they liked the work we were doing, but wouldn’t be voting for me because of my leader (Barnaby Joyce). I’ve already reached out to congratulate him and said I was happy to provide his office advice when it comes to regional, rural and remote Australia, because Labor does not have any members who live more than two hours from a capital city. You’ve increased your margin, the Nationals seats have been retained, and you have a new senator. It’s a warning to us that we need to connect better with younger voters and women.

The Victorian MP says "extreme" comments from some of his colleagues contributed to the Coalition's loss and the party needs to listen to what Australians ...

The Nationals held all of their seats nationwide, but Mr Chester said the party needed to accept some responsibility for the Coalition's election loss. Mr Chester conceded he was unlikely to be successful, but said it was "time for a change" inside the party after last weekend's federal election result. The Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester will challenge Barnaby Joyce for the party's leadership at a meeting to be held on Monday.