Barnaby Joyce has backed Darwin-based senator Nigel Scullion to step into his shoes as Acting Prime Minister when Malcolm Turnbull is out of the country.
Senator Scullion, the relatively junior Indigenous Affairs Minister, was next in line for the Nationals when Mr Joyce and the party’s deputy leader Fiona Nash were disqualified by the High Court for having dual citizenship.
This has sparked tensions inside the Coalition, with some Liberals pushing for Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to be interim 2IC to the PM.
Mr Joyce said this was a matter for Cabinet to decide, but Senator Scullion was parliamentary leader of the Nationals in his absence and he had confidence in the colourful Territorian.
Read the article in The Australian.