The Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, will run for a lower house seat in Queensland at the upcoming federal election. The decision could set up a high-profile electoral contest against Pauline Hanson’s national director.
A Bid for Capricornia
The move follows the retirement announcement of the sitting Capricornia MP, Michelle Landry, who stated she will not contest the seat again. Canavan told the Courier-Mail on Monday that retaining the electorate is vital to alter the government and continue delivering for central Queensland. He acknowledged the political risk, noting he is willing to give the campaign his all.
Polling data had previously indicated that Canavan faced severe challenges in retaining his Senate position if One Nation sustained its momentum in opinion surveys. Earlier last month, the Nationals leader stated he was ready to do whatever was necessary to secure Capricornia for his party.
Potential Showdown With One Nation
While Pauline Hanson dismissed the possibility of her own candidacy for the seat, she kept open the prospect of James Ashby entering the race as a contender. Hanson noted that the election remains over a year away and no final decisions regarding candidacies have been made yet.
Meanwhile, Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie criticized One Nation’s electoral strategy, arguing the party should focus on challenging Labor-held seats rather than targeting Coalition incumbents if they genuinely want to change the government. McKenzie stated that she welcomes a fight to replace the prime minister by winning seats currently held by the Labor Party.
