Barnaby Joyce Claims One Nation May Back Coalition in Supply-Confidence Deal

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce announced that he had spoken with senior Liberal figures about a possible supply-and-confidence arrangement that could enable the Coalition to replace Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the next election. Joyce said One Nation would offer the Coalition “the best opportunity of stability” if the party secured more seats than the Liberals-Nation alliance. He declined to identify which Liberal members were involved and did not confirm whether the talks included opposition leader Angus Taylor or shadow minister Matt Canavan.

The Guardian

Joyce defected from the National Party to join Pauline Hanson’s One Nation in December 2025. Hanson has urged both the Coalition and the opposition to unite against Labor ahead of the 2028 federal election, positioning One Nation as a potential king-maker. While One Nation has ruled out a formal coalition, it has left open the prospect of supporting a minority government that would not oppose its legislative agenda.

The Guardian

One Nation’s leadership affirmed that it would not enter a formal coalition but indicated willingness to guarantee that its members would not vote against government bills in a minority arrangement. Joyce refrained from naming the Liberal interlocutors and said the party would expect a reciprocal deal if it won more seats.

The Guardian

Liberal deputy leader Jane Hume dismissed Joyce’s claim as “clutching at straws,” questioning his motives and suggesting he was experiencing “post-purchase dissonance” after leaving the Nationals. Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson labeled the talks a “figment of Barnaby’s imagination” and later called Joyce a “clown” when the former responded.

The Guardian

• “We’ve said our job is to get rid of the socialists, so we would offer supply and confidence to the Coalition, and obviously on the premise of solid policy outcomes that we would want to happen,” — Barnaby Joyce

The Guardian

• “Perhaps he’s got some sort of post-purchase dissonance, moving to One Nation.” — Jane Hume

The Guardian