Barnaby Joyce Resigns from Nationals After 30 Years

Barnaby Joyce, the veteran Australian politician and former deputy prime minister, formally resigned from the Nationals party on Thursday, ending a 30-year association and fueling speculation about a potential move to the right-wing One Nation party. The announcement came in a brief statement to the House of Representatives in Canberra, marking the close of a tumultuous chapter in his career that included two stints as Nationals leader and multiple roles in senior government.

Joyce, who represents the New South Wales seat of New England, delivered his remarks around 1:30 p.m. before walking out of the chamber and addressing reporters. He confirmed he would not seek re-election in New England but pledged to serve out the remainder of his term until the next federal election. "After 30 years with the National Party, I am resigning from the party," Joyce said. "I apologise for all the hurt that that will cause other people. I really do, but it's not the most important thing." He described the decision as the end of a relationship, adding that the party's talk of "generational change" felt like a signal for him to leave. Joyce did not explicitly confirm joining One Nation but...