Hogan appointed deputy leader of Nationals

KEVIN Hogan has been elected deputy leader of the National Party following a party room vote in Canberra, joining leader David Littleproud and newly elected Senate leader Bridget McKenzie in a refreshed leadership team.

Mr Hogan, who has held the seat of Page since 2013, said he was honoured to step into the role.

“I am humbled today to be made deputy leader, very humbled,” he said.

“We are a very important political body and continue to be so. We have not lost a federal parliamentary seat since 2007.

“We’re not lazy and we’re not complacent, and we will always continue to put regional Australians first.”

Bridget McKenzie said the Coalition had been handed a significant defeat.

“We need to listen to that with humility and have a deep, honest look at what went wrong,” she said.

“The National Party provides stability and strength, and the ballast that our side of politics needs to go through those dry gullies.”

The Nationals’ leadership changes came ahead of the Liberal Party’s vote on Tuesday, which saw former deputy leader Sussan Ley elected as the first woman to lead the party in its 80-year history.

She defeated shadow treasurer Angus Taylor 29 votes to 25.