Richard Torbay. Photo: Jim Rice
Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce could take on independent Tony Windsor for a seat in the House of Representatives after the withdrawl of Nationals candidate for Mr Windsor's New England seat.
Senator Joyce confirmed he would be interested in standing in New England, but said he would not make a final decision until consulting with friends and those lived in the electorate.
The news comes after Richard Torbay was dumped as the Nationals candidate for New England in NSW after information emerged that he had previously accepted funding from Labor to run as a state independent against Nationals candidates.
It is understood the Nationals are also concerned about links to the family of the Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid, who is the subject of the largest ever corruption investigation in NSW.
Senator Joyce told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday that he was ''prepared to put myself forward if that is what the people wish''.
''There are two obvious places that a person should stand, and one is where they live, and I live in Maranoa, and one is where they grew up, and I grew up in the New England.''
Senator Joyce said he would leave the decision to local electorate council.
He wished Mr Torbay well, and said ''as God as my witness'' he had no clue as to why he was forced to withdraw.
Senator Joyce said he would not want any contest against Mr Windsor to be a ''personal fight'' against the independent MP.
''I want it to be a fight policy and about exactly where this nation is off to,'' he said.
Federal Nationals leader Warren Truss said on Wednesday that Senator Joyce would be a good candidate to challenge Mr Windsor.
Mr Truss said Senator Joyce had a connection with the northern NSW region and had expressed a previous interest in running for the seat.
''He would undoubtedly be a good candidate,'' he said. ''But ultimately this will be a decision for the NSW party.''
NSW Nationals state chairman Niall Blair confirmed earlier on Tuesday night the party was no longer backing Mr Torbay.
''The party has received information over the past 24 hours of which we were not previously aware regarding Mr Torbay,'' Mr Blair said in a statement. ''The matters in question pre-date Mr Torbay's membership of the Nationals.
''The party has asked Mr Torbay to withdraw his candidacy for New England and to resign from the NSW National Party, which he has done.''
The party is seeking legal advice on the information received and will be making no further comment at this stage, he said.
Mr Truss said he could not confirm or deny Mr Torbay's dumping was down to his alleged links with Mr Obeid.
''I haven't been informed of those reasons,'' he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
''Obviously there were issues that I wasn't aware of, and those have now apparently come to light.''
On Monday, Mr Windsor, called on Mr Torbay to explain himself following reports that Mr Obeid had helped him kickstart his political career.
Reports said Mr Torbay, who had been a Labor Party member, was in effect a silent Labor member while serving as an independent in the NSW Parliament.
with AAP
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