Imagine a cattle farmer so fed up with the state of Australian politics that he decides to throw his hat into the ring for leadership of the Nationals. But here’s where it gets controversial: Colin Boyce, a plain-speaking Queenslander with a penchant for stirring the pot, believes he’s the man to save the party from becoming irrelevant. Yet, many are skeptical—could the Nationals really become a Boyce club? Let’s dive in.
When Boyce first entered the Queensland Parliament in 2017, his biggest challenge came from One Nation. Fast forward three years, and his unfiltered approach—including crossing the floor on a mining rehabilitation bill and a climate speech that controversially urged us to ‘celebrate’ global heating—had won over One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. And this is the part most people miss: Boyce’s vote surged by 24% after Hanson’s endorsement, a move he likened to Sun Tzu’s strategy of winning without fighting. ‘The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without going to battle,’ he told ABC Radio. ‘That’s exactly what I did in Callide.’
This week, Boyce announced his bid for the Nationals leadership, fueled by what he calls ‘fury’ over the Coalition’s implosion. ‘The Nationals have become the nothing party,’ he declared on 4CC radio in Gladstone. ‘Egos and personalities reign supreme—it’s a complete debacle.’ Despite his loyalty to former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce (who jumped ship to One Nation), Boyce insists he’s staying put in the party he joined in the 1980s. But he admits it’s ‘a distinct possibility’ others might defect.
Here’s where it gets even more contentious: Critics, including those within his own party, argue Boyce’s leadership bid makes little sense. They doubt he’ll garner much support in the party room. Boyce, however, sees his move as a way to keep the Coalition intact—though he’s also hinted at endorsing a challenge against Liberal leader Sussan Ley. ‘I don’t know how you salvage it,’ he admitted, ‘but I’m sure the Liberals are reviewing the situation.’
Boyce’s political journey is anything but conventional. After leaving the Queensland Parliament in 2022, he won the federal seat of Flynn, where he’s been a vocal opponent of net zero policies and renewable energy. His 2020 Facebook ads labeled renewable energy a ‘fantasy,’ and after the Callide coal-fired power station explosion, he blamed ‘eco-Marxist millennials’ and ‘wokes’ for pushing anti-coal agendas. But here’s the real kicker: Boyce is a founding member of the Saltbush Club, a group that promotes climate science denial. Before the 2024 election, he reportedly told climate skeptics that blackouts were ‘a big political opportunity’ and urged MPs to adopt a ‘do nothing strategy’ to stoke opposition to net zero.
At 62, Boyce has never been seen as frontbench material by his colleagues. Yet, he wears his outsider status like a badge of honor. As former Queensland deputy premier Cameron Dick once said, ‘Colin Boyce was a crank, but at least he never pretended to be anything else.’
So, can Boyce save the Nationals, or is his leadership bid just another controversial chapter in his political career? What do you think? Is Boyce the voice the Nationals need, or is his approach too divisive? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments—this debate is far from over.
