Cory Bernardi tipped as One Nation’s mystery new recruit

Barnaby Joyce has set the cat among the pigeons this morning by suggesting another big name will likely defect to One Nation in less than 24 hours.

One Nation’s James Ashby has also been dialling up the drama, telling reporters a new defection is imminent.

“The self-destruct button has been hit by the National and Liberal parties. And while the timer counts down, there are a number of people running for safety,’’ he said.

But senior Liberal sources and Nationals insiders say it’s not a serving Nationals MP and it’s not Colin Boyce, who will launch his quixotic leadership challenge today at 2 pm.

The two names mentioned were former Liberal Senator and ex-Sky News host Cory Bernardi and former NT chief minister Adam Giles, who now works for Gina Rinehart.

Both men have publicly endorsed One Nation and Pauline Hanson in recent months since leaving politics.

In the ConfidentialDaily.com opinion piece published, Mr Bernardi said there was panic inside the political establishment as voters broke away from the major parties.

“The clowns who have delivered Australia’s policy disaster over successive decades are mortified that the public is waking up to their failings,’’ Mr Bernardi said.

“Now they are looking to a new direction, one provided by Pauline Hanson and the One Nation Party (ONP).”

Former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi recently threw his support behind Pauline Hanson and One Nation. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Mr Bernardi previously founded the Australian Conservatives, which he admits went nowhere.

“That’s why I am lending my shoulder to the ON wheel. I’m so happy that their time has come, and the country looks intent on changing the current course of politics,’’ Mr Bernardi said.

“Fortunately, my business activities were more successful than my attempt to create another force in politics, but I have no regrets about having tried the latter. And I am overjoyed that Pauline Hanson has finally done it.”

George Christensen highlighted the post on his Facebook site in recent days, predicting that another defection was imminent.

“Across both columns, his message is blunt. One Nation did the grind. One Nation endured the ridicule. One Nation survived the setbacks. And now, Bernardi says, it is the major parties watching their support drain away,’’ Mr Christensen said.

Senator Bridget McKenzie was quickly ruled out as the mystery defector by Barnaby Joyce. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“For the Liberal Party, it is an awkward moment. A former senator who once wore the Liberal badge, then tried to replace it with his own party, is now telling conservative voters to line up behind Hanson instead.”

“For One Nation, it is a handy scalp. Bernardi is not just praising their momentum. He is attaching himself to it and daring others to follow.”

Grilled by Seven’s Sunrise host Nat Barr on a “big announcement” first teased by One Nation chief of staff James Ashby on Monday, Barnaby Joyce wasn’t naming names.

“Well, it wouldn’t be a big announcement if I made an announcement today, would it? It would certainly be a scoop. That’s what the word is, a scoop. But I’m not going to make the announcement,” he said on Monday.

Barnaby Joyce (left) has teased a major announcement within 24 hours but refused to name the defector. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Ms Barr asked if it could be rebel senator Bridget McKenzie, who was quickly ruled out.

“Just a little bit of a scoop, just like a part of it,” she joked.

“Is there more than one defection?”

Mr Joyce said: “Look, I’ll give you a scoop. It’s not Bridget McKenzie, there.”

“Look, I’m just going to leave it for 24 hours. I think we can get there,” he said.

Littleproud faces leadership threat

Nationals leader David Littleproud is set to face a leadership challenge today from rebel MP Colin Boyce but it’s not clear that it will even have a seconder for the spill motion.

Nationals MP Colin Boyce will launch his leadership challenge against David Littleproud at 2pm today. Picture facebook

If that’s the case there will be no vote in the Nationals party room unless Mr Littleproud calls for one in a show of strength.

Anne Webster’s forbidden fruit

Meanwhile, Nationals MP Anne Webster has been busted running an online poll on whether Sussan Ley should be dumped as leader, as the ex-Coalition partners prepare to hold fresh talks.

Just days after describing leadership speculation as “forbidden fruit”, Ms Webster has rolled out SurveyMonkey to run a DIY poll on the prospect of dumping the Liberals’ first female leader.

The survey was sent to Ms Webster’s supporters over the weekend as MPs returned to Canberra after weeks of chaos.

“Thank you for the many emails I’ve received regarding the stance we as the Nationals took on the recent gun reform and ‘hate speech’ legislation. We stood against both on principle,’’ Ms Webster wrote.

“As we return to Canberra, I am reaching out to hear your thoughts about the future of the Coalition.

“I’d appreciate you taking 30 seconds to complete a one-question survey.”

It follows Nationals leader David Littleproud’s extraordinary claim that the Nationals would not serve under Sussan Ley, which he later walked back from.

In her SurveyMonkey experiment, she asks her supporters the following questions

– What’s the right path for the Nationals from here?

– Return to the Coalition with Sussan Ley as Leader of the Liberal Party

– Return to the Coalition if/when the Liberal Party chooses a new leader

– Remain separate for a period of time, but rejoin before the next election

It was a different story when she appeared on Sky News recently and insisted she wouldn’t be drawn on who the Liberal Party leader should be, given she doesn’t have a vote.

“I know that the Liberals would take great joy in the Nationals telling them who should lead their party,’’ she quipped to Sky News.

“We’re not going to do that.”

“That is absolutely forbidden fruit, so to speak.

“I don’t think you’ll find a National Party member who’s prepared to get into that whirlpool.”

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is set to welcome another high-profile recruit to her party. Picture: NewsWire / Liam Kidston

Sussan Ley’s deadline

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has set a deadline for the Nationals that she will make a series of temporary appointments to vacant ministries previously held by the Nationals.

Under the temporary changes, Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash will temporarily take on trade; Shadow Health Minister Anne Ruston will take on agriculture; and Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan will take on resources.

James McGrath will take on infrastructure, Angus Taylor will adopt veterans’ affairs, and Angie Bell will add water to her environment portfolio.

Ms Ley has told National Party leader David Littleproud that if he does not resolve its issues by next weekend, she will formalise a full shadow ministry without them.

“There is enormous talent in the parliamentary Liberal Party, and my party room is more than capable of permanently fulfilling each and every one of those roles,” Ms Ley said in a statement.