Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce is calling for his party to separate from the Liberals at this year’s federal election.

Previously the two parties have run as a coalition on the NSW Senate ticket, but Mr Joyce says this needs to stop.

If polls remain the same when the election rolls around in May, the Nationals could miss out on a NSW Senate seat altogether.

It looks as though the LNP will only get two NSW candidates elected, and the first Nationals candidate, Perin Davey, is listed at third on the joint ticket.

Barnaby Joyce tells Ray Hadley that’s not acceptable.

“This gives us the chance, to first of all have representation for the National Party, that has had a Senator from NSW since federation.

“I don’t like the way that we’ve now been put in the position where we have to accept that maybe we just won’t have a Senator.

“That ain’t going to happen, other people might think it’s going to but I’m going to bat for our party.”

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