Nationals leader Matt Canavan will stand for a lower house seat in Queensland at the next federal election, according to The Guardian. The decision follows the retirement of Capricornia MP Michelle Landry, who announced last month that she would leave politics and not contest her Rockhampton-based seat again.
Canavan, currently a senator, confirmed his intention on Monday. The Guardian reports that the move could set up a contest with James Ashby, who is chief of staff to Pauline Hanson, the leader of One Nation.
Why it matters
The seat of Capricornia sits in central Queensland, and Canavan framed his run as a matter of holding ground rather than personal ambition. He told the Courier Mail that keeping the seat is necessary to change the government, and that he wants the Nationals to keep delivering for the region.
His shift from the Senate to the lower house also raises questions about leadership. Canavan leads the Nationals from the Senate, and a lower house run puts him in a different chamber from the one where he currently sits. The Guardian's reporting frames the decision as a significant gamble, and other outlets have described it in similar terms.
The prospect of Ashby as an opponent adds a second dimension. One Nation has been competing for regional seats, and a head-to-head contest between a Coalition leader and Hanson's chief of staff would draw attention well beyond central Queensland.
A fight over which seats each party targets
The Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie argued that One Nation should be directing its efforts at Labor-held electorates rather than Coalition seats. Speaking to Nine's Today show, she said that if One Nation were serious about opposing the government, it would run in Labor seats instead of against a figure like Canavan.
McKenzie also said she was not afraid of a contest, and that her focus was on changing the prime minister, which she said required winning seats from Labor. The Guardian reports her comments as part of the response to Canavan's announcement.
The exchange points to a broader tension between the Coalition and One Nation over regional electorates. Both parties draw support from outside the major cities, and competition between them can split the vote in seats the Coalition needs to hold.
What Canavan said about the seat
Canavan's own explanation centred on the constituency rather than on party rivalry. He told the Courier Mail that the priority was retaining Capricornia so that the Coalition can form government, and that he wants continued delivery for central Queensland.
Landry's retirement created the opening. She had represented the Rockhampton-based seat and announced last month that she would step away from politics at the next election rather than seek another term.
What to watch
Whether Ashby formally enters the race, and how the Coalition and One Nation position themselves in regional Queensland seats, will shape the contest ahead of the next federal election.
