David Littleproud says Barnaby Joyce broke contract with National party
Nationals leader David Littleproud is appearing on ABC Insiders after Barnaby Joyce’s defection from the party this week. Asked whether he will try to win him back or it’s good riddance, Littleproud says:
He hasn’t joined One Nation. It is disappointing that he has broken a contract with the National party and while he didn’t sit in the National party party room for the last four or five weeks, that is not something that is unusual. We’ve had other members that have done that, but the fact that he has taken a significant step to walk away from the membership, from the people who put him there, that invested their time for no financial gain, but belief in our movement. Our movement is bigger than any individual. It is about the collective and about those members that have put us there. So, look, Barnaby hasn’t joined One Nation, but he has made a significant step. My door is always open and phone always on. I have no animosity towards Barnaby Joyce, I never have.
The reality is he has made a decision after the fact that I challenged him after the 2022 election, as did Darren Chester, I won, I kept him on the frontbench. I made it clear after the 2025 election that there were others that needed to step up and to give an opportunity, like Ross Cadell, who has done a fantastic job in helping Matt Canavan land our emissions policy and make sure we have a future for the party. That hasn’t sat well with Barnaby, I accept that, but unfortunately when you’re leader, as he did, you have to make tough decisions about who is the in the team. But we can all still make a contribution when you’re in the team.
Key events
Fireball erupts in Sydney waste facility
We mentioned earlier firefighters are battling a massive factory blaze in western Sydney that could take days to extinguish. Here are some of the pictures Fire and Rescue NSW released of the huge fireball that erupted in the waste facility overnight:
NORTH ST MARYS | ***VISION ALERT*** Huge fireball destroys waste facility as firefighters battle inferno. More than 200 firefighters have contained an inferno that has engulfed a waste facility factory overnight at North St Marys in Sydney’s wes… https://t.co/Z8EUgKVdD7
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025
North St Marys | Smoke advisory – Residents living within 500 metres of the fire in Kurrajong Road, North St Marys, are being asked to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows closed to avoid harmful smoke.
Locals are also asked to limit their recreational activities in the… pic.twitter.com/bvQWnLTY3O— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025
‘Good on him’: Littleproud congratulates Albanese on wedding
Littleproud says he is “genuinely happy” for Albanese’s recent nuptials.
It’s great to see the PM has someone who loves him and going to be with him. It is a tough and lonely job, being prime minister. I couldn’t be happier for the PM and Jodie. Jodie has already stepped up on the international stage and represented us in such a classy way for some time and now they’ve solidified their partnership with marriage and I think good on him. I hope he has a bit of a break now. I think we all need a break, but good on him and I wish him every happiness. I couldn’t be happier for the pair of them.
Land clearing not a major threat to endangered species, Littleproud says
Littleproud said he does not accept land clearing is a major threat to endangered species, despite the State of Environment report finding so.
I think what you find particularly where I live – I’ve got the lived experience – out here there’s no one tearing up vegetation recklessly. They are managing regrowth so that they can produce your food and fibre so you don’t have a cost-of-living crisis.
Littleproud suggests values test for temporary migrants would stop ‘importing hate’
Littleproud says a values test for new migrants – which the Coalition has flagged – wouldn’t hurt.
Speers:
What do you think about this idea of some sort of values test for people who are coming on temporary visas? There is already the citizenship test for those who want to become citizens, but if you are coming temporary visa, on any of these visas you are talking about, do think there should be some sort of values test? Is that a problem the moment?
Littleproud:
I don’t think it hurts … When you’ve seen the discord on streets, particularly of Sydney and Melbourne over the last two years since October 2023, I think there is a risk that we as Australians can’t import the hate that permeates in some other parts of the world. I think it’s important we make sure that when we do bring people from those challenged parts of the world, that they understand they are coming here with a responsibility to live up to the values and principles that our great country has been built on, with is migration, but how we have come together to be able to achieve a harmonious society for most of it and not allow that hate that permeates in some parts of the world to be imported in.
Where did the $9tn figure come from?
If you’re interested, you can read the statement issued by Net Zero Australia here back on 5 November:
Different individuals and groups have been misrepresenting key cost estimates from the [Net Zero] Australia Project as ‘the cost of Australia reaching net zero’. These misrepresented costs have typically ranged from $1.5 trillion to $9 trillion.”
Littleproud defends use of ‘misrepresented’ $9tn net zero figure
Littleproud was asked whether he needed to stop using the $9tn figure, which comes from the Net Zero Australia Project, who have said it is a misrepresentation.
Littleproud is continuing to defend his use of it, despite acknowledging the figure references foreign investment.
Littleproud says Joyce’s future in parliament a matter for him
Asked whether Barnaby Joyce should quit the parliament so that there can be a byelection, David Littleproud says it’s a decision for Joyce to make.
In the same line of questioning, asked whether Joyce is a rat from his perspective, Littleproud says “I don’t think commentary from the sideline helps anybody.”
Is he worried about the threat Joyce may pose should he go to One Nation?
You never take anything for granted in politics. I think – and our polling shows this – the Nationals are holding up very strong in terms of our votes since the election because we have taken the time to get policy right. We could have taken the populist path and just said no to net zero, but we had to say why we were saying we were going to, and I think we’ve landed an eminently better policy, a cheaper, better way to reduce emissions, than Labor’s $9tn net zero plan.
David Littleproud says Barnaby Joyce broke contract with National party
Nationals leader David Littleproud is appearing on ABC Insiders after Barnaby Joyce’s defection from the party this week. Asked whether he will try to win him back or it’s good riddance, Littleproud says:
He hasn’t joined One Nation. It is disappointing that he has broken a contract with the National party and while he didn’t sit in the National party party room for the last four or five weeks, that is not something that is unusual. We’ve had other members that have done that, but the fact that he has taken a significant step to walk away from the membership, from the people who put him there, that invested their time for no financial gain, but belief in our movement. Our movement is bigger than any individual. It is about the collective and about those members that have put us there. So, look, Barnaby hasn’t joined One Nation, but he has made a significant step. My door is always open and phone always on. I have no animosity towards Barnaby Joyce, I never have.
The reality is he has made a decision after the fact that I challenged him after the 2022 election, as did Darren Chester, I won, I kept him on the frontbench. I made it clear after the 2025 election that there were others that needed to step up and to give an opportunity, like Ross Cadell, who has done a fantastic job in helping Matt Canavan land our emissions policy and make sure we have a future for the party. That hasn’t sat well with Barnaby, I accept that, but unfortunately when you’re leader, as he did, you have to make tough decisions about who is the in the team. But we can all still make a contribution when you’re in the team.
Ariel Bogle
Speakers at anti-immigration rally attack emissions policy and claim protesters being ‘replaced’
Following on from the earlier post about yesterday’s Put Australia First rally in Sydney, a bit more information on speakers:
Speakers including Family First party’s Lyle Shelton canvassed topics including “mass immigration”, climate policy and freedom of speech to a crowd trying to find shade and a place to sit down on a 30-degree day.
The day’s MC, One Nation candidate Stuart Bonds, told the crowd they were deliberately “being replaced in our own nations” and that “net zero is modern slavery”.
“What will Australia become if we don’t stand up?” social media content creator Lauchlan Meyer asked the crowd. “A third-world shithole,” someone yelled back.
The event wrapped up with a rendition of Advance Australia Fair.
LNP claims north Queensland byelection win after big swing
Andrew Messenger
LNP candidate Wayde Chiesa has triumphed at a state byelection in the north Queensland electorate of Hinchinbrook.
With 74% of the vote counted Chiesa has more than 41% of the primary vote, a swing of about 13%. An early unofficial count by the Electoral Commission of Queensland has him winning about 53% of the two-party preferred vote as counting continues.
The byelection was triggered by the resignation of long-term Katter’s Australian Party MP Nick Dametto, who is the new mayor of Townsville.
Former councillor Mark Molachino stood as the Katter party’s candidate. The LNP claimed that he would jump ship to Labor if he won, and compared him with controversial former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson.
Chiesa campaigned on a call for new laws requiring children to face mandatory jail time if they breach bail. Adults do not face any such provision.
Crowds chant ‘we are Charlie Kirk’ at Sydney anti-immigration rally
Ariel Bogle
On Saturday, a crowd of about 500 gathered in Sydney’s Belmore Park for the “Put Australia First” rally.
A chant of “we are Charlie Kirk” broke out as the march snaked through Chinatown. A largely older crowd waved Australia flags, still creased from their plastic wrapping. “If you’re Australian, march with us,” one woman told onlookers.
At town hall, organisers played a four minute clip by British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was behind the “Unite the Kingdom” march in London. Anyone giving Hitler salutes, he said, was “funded by the government” to discredit the message.
The event followed the March for Australia anti-immigration marches in August, which turned violent and attracted controversy after being promoted and attended by neo-Nazis.
Organiser Monica Smit previously told Guardian Australia her march was distinct from those events.
She said Robinson, who co-founded the now defunct Islamophobic group the English Defence League and has convictions for violence, public order offences, and financial and immigration frauds, would “share his energy and patriotism”.
“You’re not a fringe group,” Robinson said in Saturday’s clip. “It’s not fringe to oppose sexual exploitation of children, to be against mass immigration, to be against Islam takeover, to defend your own culture.”
Flames leap 15 metres into the air in huge factory fire
Firefighters are battling a massive factory blaze in western Sydney that could take days to extinguish, AAP reports.
The inferno at a facility containing chemical supplies in North St Marys started at about 11pm, sending flames 15 metres into the air and causing at least one explosion.
NORTH ST MARYS | Firefighters battle huge factory fire and Hazmat emergency. More than 185 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters are battling a huge factory fire and hazardous materials emergency this morning at North St Marys in Sydney’s wes… https://t.co/LeXdNriFoS pic.twitter.com/fvlggGR6t9
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) November 29, 2025
About 50 fire trucks and 200 firefighters were involved in battling the blaze from three sides this morning, with hazmat units, monitoring drones and bulk water carriers also taking part in the operation.
Firefighters said they were working to stop the fire spreading to neighbouring buildings and handle any environmental risk posed by chemicals at the site.
The cause of the fire is not known.
Good morning
Welcome to Guardian Australia’s Sunday live blog.
The Jetstar Airbus A320 planes that were recalled yesterday (leading to more than 90 domestic flights being cancelled) have all received the necessary software update and services have resumed to normal this morning.
Meanwhile, a couple have been charged for allegedly fraudulently winning more than $1m at a Sydney casino. The pair arrived from overseas in October and over the course of multiple visits to the casino won a total of $1,179,412.50, which raised the suspicion of the casino.
The Melbourne Metro Tunnel also starts running this morning. More on that as it happens. Let’s jump straight in!
