Colin Boyce's Leadership Bid Amid National Party Turmoil
Queensland federal MP Colin Boyce has launched an unexpected challenge for the leadership of the National Party, branding the recent implosion of the Coalition as "a complete debacle" that has reduced his party to "the nothing party." The outspoken representative for Flynn, a former cattle farmer from Taroom, announced his tilt at the top job this week, expressing fury at the breakdown of the longstanding Liberal-National partnership.
From Queensland Parliament to Federal Politics
Boyce first entered the Queensland parliament in 2017, where his plain-speaking style and willingness to cross the floor quickly distinguished him. During his state political career, he developed an unlikely alliance with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who ultimately endorsed him and declined to run a candidate against him in his seat of Callide. This strategic move, which Boyce described using Sun Tzu's military philosophy as "subduing the enemy without going to battle," saw his vote increase by a remarkable 24%.
After leaving state politics in 2022, Boyce successfully transitioned to federal parliament, winning the seat of Flynn. Throughout both parliamentary careers, he has maintained consistent positions as a staunch opponent of net zero climate policies and renewable energy initiatives.
Climate Controversy and Political Positioning
Boyce's political identity is deeply intertwined with climate scepticism. He gained notoriety for a 2020 speech suggesting people should "celebrate" global heating, and has repeatedly described renewable energy as a "fantasy." Following an explosion at the Callide coal-fired power station, he blamed opposition to new coal plants on "mind-numbing, eco-Marxist millennials and upper middle-class 'wokes'" indoctrinated with anti-coal beliefs.
The MP is a founding member of the Saltbush Club, an organisation promoting climate science denial and disputing the existence of a climate emergency. Before the 2024 election, Boyce reportedly told climate sceptics that power blackouts presented "a big political opportunity" and advocated for a "do nothing strategy" to build opposition to net zero policies through energy shortages.
Leadership Challenge Amid Coalition Collapse
Boyce's leadership bid comes directly in response to the dramatic collapse of the Coalition, which he attributes to "egos and personalities" prevailing over sensible politics. Despite being a steadfast supporter of former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, who recently defected to One Nation, Boyce insists he won't leave the party he joined as a twenty-year-old in the 1980s, though he acknowledges "a distinct possibility" that other colleagues might follow Joyce's path.
The Queensland MP was among seven Nationals who crossed the floor on hate speech legislation, a move that triggered shadow cabinet resignations and ultimately contributed to the Coalition split. While Boyce claims his leadership challenge aims to keep the Coalition together, he has also suggested the Liberal Party should review Sussan Ley's leadership position.
Internal Criticism and Political Reality
Despite his confidence, Boyce faces significant internal opposition. Critics within his own party question the logic of his leadership bid, noting he has never been viewed as a serious frontbench candidate by colleagues in either Queensland or Canberra. They predict he will receive minimal support in the party room when the leadership is decided.
Former Queensland deputy premier Cameron Dick offered a characteristically blunt assessment in 2022, stating: "Colin Boyce was a crank, but at least he never pretended to be anything else. Colin Boyce was a member of the LNP who gave comfort to those who deny science and spout conspiracy theories, but he did so from the backbench."
At 62 years old, Boyce now finds himself at the centre of National Party turmoil, attempting to leverage his reputation as an uncompromising conservative to reshape a party reeling from coalition collapse. Whether his challenge gains traction or confirms his status as a perpetual backbencher remains uncertain, but his intervention has undoubtedly intensified debates about the Nationals' future direction and identity.
