Nationals leader Matt Canavan has confirmed that he will contest the House of Representatives seat in Queensland at the next federal election. He announced the decision after Capricornia member Michelle Landry stated she would not seek re-election in the electorate.
Landry announced her decision to leave politics last month. Capricornia covers Rockhampton, and Canavan told reporters on Monday that someone had to take responsibility in central Queensland. "I will put it on the line," Canavan said, adding that he was prepared to risk his political future to achieve this and "take back our country".
Canavan acknowledged that he might not succeed and that his political career could end. "I won't die wondering," he said, emphasising that change was needed in the country. Canavan had previously been mentioned as a potential House of Representatives candidate, and last month stated he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep Capricornia for his party. Pollsters had warned that the Nationals leader had zero per cent chance of retaining his Senate seat if One Nation continued to grow in the polls.
James Ashby, national director of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, said he would not contest the Capricornia electorate. Ashby stated that he would not submit a nomination for the pre-selection, but would play a role in the campaign in Capricornia. He emphasised that he took his position as national director seriously and that One Nation would have its own candidate for the seat. "Capricornia is a seat One Nation can win," Ashby said, adding that he intended to invest resources and people in a strong campaign.
Hanson, who sits in the Senate, has ruled herself out of the race for the seat. She stated that there is still more than a year, a year and a half, until the election, and that she was making no decisions or giving indications of where she or James Ashby would contest.
Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said that One Nation should not be fighting to win a seat held by the Coalition if the party was serious about taking on the Labor Party. On the Today show on Nine, she stated that if One Nation was truly serious about its intention to "kick out the liars", they should start contesting Labor electorates, rather than against someone like Matt Canavan. "I am not afraid of a fight," McKenzie said, adding that she wanted to save our country, which meant changing the prime minister and winning Labor seats. Analysts believe that Coalition regional seats in Queensland and NSW are particularly vulnerable and are on the target list.
