Michael McCormack has been elected as leader of the National Party and as deputy prime minister of Australia – an appointment welcomed by the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA).
“The Insurance Council and the industry have had a strong relationship with Mr McCormack in his previous role as minister for small business,” ICA CEO Rob Whelan said. “We are pleased that such a strong advocate for small enterprises is now in a key leadership role. The ICA looks forward to working with Mr McCormack and trusts he will continue to support regional and rural Australians, especially with regard to investing in nation-building infrastructure through disaster mitigation and community-resilience measures, and regulatory and taxation reform.”
McCormack took on the new roles following George Christensen's defeat in a party-room vote and main opponent David Gillespie's withdrawal from the race. He succeeds Barnaby Joyce as Nationals leader, ABC reported.
McCormack first came to the Parliament in 2010, and has since then held various roles in the junior ministry, including assistant defence minister, small business minister, and assistant to the deputy prime minister. He currently serves as minister for veterans’ affairs and defence personnel, The Guardian said.
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